No, this isn’t an announcement of a new spa-day video game … although, I wouldn’t be surprised if Facebook eventually released one. Until that time, spa days and video games have very little in common, except for one thing: They each provide an opportunity to donate to a worthy cause.
Cause (Comfort for America’s Uniformed Services) was founded in March 2003 by four West Point graduates who served in Vietnam. Cause began its outreach by providing personal care items and clothing to wounded soldiers arriving at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Today, Cause recreation and entertainment programs reach thousands of injured service men and women facing months of medical care and rehabilitation far away from home and family. These programs are designed to bring a bit of relaxation and fun into what are, for many, very challenging circumstances. But they also serve a much more serious purpose: They help wounded warriors begin the normalization process and re-entry to home and community as they take their long journey back to health.
I first heard of Cause through Goozex, a video game-trading site. How could Cause and Goozex possibly relate? It’s no surprise that some wounded troops enjoy playing video games while recovering in the hospital. If most of today’s military is anything like my cousin, the first thing they ask for at Christmas while home on leave is a PlayStation or Xbox.
Mark Nebesky, CMO of Goozex, said that Cause has an Amazon wish list for all the hospitals it works with. To make a tax deductible donation, you need to send Cause a check with your contact information, so they can send you the appropriate receipt that you would use for your tax filings.
Nebesky first heard of Cause while attending a business school function. He always wanted to do something to help injured troops, but he was having trouble with red tape and bureaucracy. While at the school function, he was referred to a senior Pentagon official, who in turn directed him to Cause. Nebesky was eventually invited to visit the Malone House, which is like a small hotel located on the Walter Reed base that houses injured soldiers that don’t need to be in a hospital bed.
“When I first arrived,” he said, “I didn’t know what to expect. I arrived for their regularly scheduled video game tournament, which is organized on the last Sunday of every month. I walked into the Malone House, and in the common dinning area I saw about 20 servicemen and women huddled around several flat-screen TVs playing games. They cheered in victory and groaned in defeat.”
After the tournament, Nebesky spoke with Cause’s Barbara Lau, and agreed to organize a two-month donation drive through his Goozex web site. Cause is a world-wide organization — locations range from San Diego to Washington, D.C., to Germany — that is run by a dedicated volunteer staff who manages the game and DVD rental service. Currently, Cause is looking for technical support to streamline their database management of the games.
Of course, not all wounded soldiers enjoy video games. Some might prefer a relaxing day at a spa, so Cause also offers services just for them. This is the beauty of Cause: They are not one-dimensional. They provide several programs through which people can donate and contribute.The rehabilitation process might cause loneliness and boredom, despite the tough and enduring nature of the wounded. Through Cause-sponsored gaming, picnics and Sunday Brunches, soldiers can begin to heal.