We’ve been driving this bus for a day now to raise money for the children, so we’re happy to welcome a special guest from Child’s Play: Tabitha Sheehan!
Tabitha (she/her they/them) has been the Community and Program Coordinator for Child’s Play for three years, which means she manages Amazon wishlists for the hospitals and collaborates with streamers like ourselves – among many other talents! Welcome to the USS Tucson, Tabby!
It’s Donation Drive time again! This time it’s a super exciting lot from Child’s Play!
Up first in this lot is a collection of hard to find Pinny Arcade pins. These include the Limited 
Edition Hanna pin, and the Kemper pins from PAX Aus 2013 and 2014, PAX East 2013, 2014, and 2015, PAX West 2013, 2014, and 2015, and the 2013 Christmas Kemper.
Next we have the Acquisitions Incorporated: Battle Royale cards. Used during the PAX East 2018 live show, DM Mike Krahulik continued his proud tradition of staunchly refusing to play Dungeons & Dragons and instead decided to make it into a battle royale game. These two decks contain equipment, resources and random encounters. You will also get a copy of Mike’s notes, allowing you to run the game for your friends, acquaintances, and enemies!
Thank you to Child’s Play Charity for the donation of this lot!
Donate $6.66 (or multiples thereof) until 2:45am PST for a chance to win this awesome prize lot!
Dr. Joseph Albietz is a Pediatric Intensivist and Medical Director of Child Life at Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHCO), and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Supported by a grant from Child’s Play, Dr. Albietz is the world’s first Medical Director of Child Life. His focus has been to maximize the clinical benefit of commercially available and emerging gaming and entertainment technologies. He and the Child Life department have recently launched a number of successful programs including the first Child’s Play funded Gaming Technology Specialist position, the Extended Reality Program at CHCO, a gaming tech education program for staff, child-piloted telepresence robots, a number of pilot programs in partnership with gaming charities, and are working to create a hospital-based makerspace for patients. We’ll talk with Dr. Joe about this partnership and the impact of your contributions, and the contributions of others across the broader Child’s Play Charity community.
Got a question for Dr. Joe? Tweet @desertbus with the hashtag #DBDrJoe and we might ask your question on-air?
Introducing the most air freshener-filled, road-centric, desert-focussed Pinny Arcade pin ever! This rare pin is an official part of the Pinny Arcade collection, commemorating an entire decade of driving tiredly through virtual desert landscapes in the service of aiding sick children.
These pins went unbelievably fast! We can’t thank you enough for all of your purchases that went right to Child’s Play Charity.
A pin will also be included in each and every Desert Bus 10 prize, whether silent auction, live auction, or giveaway.
Many thanks to Penny Arcade for giving Desert Bus this exciting opportunity to join the Pinny Arcade family!
Driving since: 2015
Points: 0
Crashes: 1
Patronus:
Theme Song: Rather Be by Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne
First Crush: Sailor Jupiter
Why “Calamity Jamie”?
It’s an homage to Calamity Jane, who was a legend of the wild west – a sharpshooter, nurse to smallpox victims, professional scout, and more.
How she feels about driving for Desert Bus 9:
When not at Desert Bus, she can be found:
Making the most of Desert Bus donations! I work for Child’s Playand Penny Arcade, which means lots of PAX, travel, video games, and shenanigans. I also wrangle my corgi Sir Ranger Danger, watch anime, and fangirl about esports.
Penny Arcade is a webcomic that was started by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik in 1998. Fast forward to today and you’ll find they’ve grown to be also known for gaming conventions, video games, an internet TV channel, and the charity Child’s Play.
Many Penny Arcade team members will be joining us on site throughout the run. We can’t wait to see what shenanigans they get up to.
Thank you so much, Penny Arcade, for your continued support.
Hello Desert Bus bidders! We have a very important announcement that concerns some of this year’s auction lots. Ken Steacy has asked that something a little different be done with his auctions.
A personal note from Ken Steacy:
“It is a privilege for me to again participate in Desert Bus For Hope, which is fuelled by the tireless efforts of the Desert Bus crew. For their commitment and good hearts I can offer only my deepest gratitude, but for their efforts above and beyond the call of duty I have always wanted to offer something more tangible.
Therefore, starting this year (and with the blessing of Child’s Play), 50% of the auction proceeds for all my donations to Desert Bus For Hope will fund operations for the Desert Bus organizational crew, without whom the bus would never leave the station. Thanx to them, and to everyone who contributes for keeping the wheels spinning – let’s roll!”
– Ken “Value Added” Steacy B^)
So to recap, half of the auction proceeds from all of the items donated by Ken Steacy – whether giveaway, live auction or silent auction – will go to the Desert Bus organizational team – the folks who plan Desert Bus throughout the year and are in charge of putting it on. The other 50% will go to Child’s Play. Ken has made it clear to us that he would like this money to go to the team in recognition of their efforts and the hours they put in. Administrative costs (eg: office supplies, shipping costs, etc.) are privately sponsored from other quarters.
The entire auction amount will continue to go towards the total number of hours we will bus for.
As Ken mentioned, this has been discussed and given the ok by Child’s Play themselves – neither we nor Ken would ever proceed with this without their permission.
We love putting on Desert Bus, and we will continue doing it as long as we can, regardless of any sort of compensation. That said, we are deeply touched by Ken’s gesture, as well as by his continual support of Desert Bus for Hope.
We want all of you to be fully aware of exactly where your money is going should you choose to bid on any of the items that Ken has donated this year.
Thank you all for your wonderful support of Desert Bus for Hope!
~The Desert Bus team
Last week we announced that Desert Bus 5 will begin on November 18, 2011, and we know that many of you are already on the edge of your seats, wondering how you can get involved in the madness, like, right now. You’re in luck! For the creative, the artsy and craftsy, the make-nerdy-stuff-at-home inclined, we have a way for you to get involved right away, a full six months before the busing begins. You can participate in the Desert Bus 5 Craft-Along!
How? Allow us to demonstrate.
1) Read this ENTIRE post. Then email Tally at [email protected] to explain your craft idea and get her official approval.This is important so that we know what kind of items we’re expecting and can avoid too many of the same kinds of things. We also need to make sure that the idea fits within the guidelines of the Craft-Along which are (see below):
2) Once you have received approval, make your item.
Probably best not to let your friends play with it, though.
3) Package your item carefully in an envelope or box, and then put it in a second envelope or box, to which you will affix the appropriate mailing information and postage. Please DO NOT SEAL the first (inner) box or envelope. We’ll do that later, after we take pictures and coo over your awesome item, and before we mail it to its new owner.
This step is so that when we get your item we don’t have to hunt around for packaging materials. We pull it out of the first box, and use the second box to mail your item to its lucky auction winner. Efficiency!
4) Email Tally again ([email protected]) to inform her that your item is finished and to get the appropriate mailing address. Be sure to fill out the very important Crafter’s Form that Tally will also send you at this point. Then send it back to her.
We actually prefer that you email your answers back, even though paper airplanes are wicked awesome.
An important note: Please email Tally when your item is completed even if you already have the Moonbase’s mailing address. We’d like to be able to keep track of what mail we’re expecting and what items have, in fact, been completed. Also, we’ll need to send you that form.
5) Mail your item.
6) When November 2011 rolls around, tune in to the madness of Desert Bus 5…
7) … and die of shock* when your Craft-Along item auctions for more money than you paid for your car.**
*This is the one and only step we’d actually rather you didn’t follow.
**This is actually possible. Not necessarily likely, but possible.
8 ) The deadline for us to receive Craft-Along items is OCTOBER 15, 2011. That’s the date by which they must have ARRIVED at Desert Bus headquarters. If your item isn’t here by that date, it risks being excluded from the Craft-Along. Late items are also guaranteed to cause Tally and Kathleen extra stress and possibly anger, and nobody wants that. (No, nobody does. Trust us.)
A quick recap of very important points:
9) Have fun and get crafting!
Check out the latest installment of Penn Jilette’s “Penn Says” vlog to watch him pitch Desert Bus hardcore. As one of Desert Bus’s co-creators, he knows full well the fury of the desert, and we truly appreciate his support.
Onwards towards $60 000!
