To steal from their website, “The Jack Vasel Memorial Fund was started in April, 2011, in memory of Jack Vasel, son of Tom Vasel. Tom is an influential voice in the board gaming hobby, and the community rallied around him in his time of need. The purpose for which the Fund is formed is to collect and provide financial assistance to members of the public who are part of the gaming community and who have suffered personal hardship.” You may recall that my son was born prematurely around the same time that Jack was, but we got luckier.

One of the primary funding sources for the Jack Vasel Memorial Fund is an annual auction, which is now ongoing on BoardGameGeek. Individuals and companies will put up a bunch of games and special opportunities (for example, AEG has put up the right to create an L5R character for the past couple of years, and there’s a chance to design a Doomtown dude in there this year).

We’re getting in on the action this year, offering up a co-hosting gig on the Strange Assembly podcast for an episode. On the downside, this probably has no inherent value. On the upside, if it has no market value, your entire bid might be tax-deductible (note: this is not tax advice; do not take tax advice from me; consult someone who knows what they’re talking about).