N-Europe forum members are currently doing their bit for a good cause. 24 Hour Gaming Marathon from 8am Saturday 15th untill 8am Sunday 16th.

Last year several of our very own N-Europe forum members did their bit to raise some money for the "Extra Life" charity by taking part in a 24 Hour Gaming Marathon. And this year they're at it all over again. Starting this morning at 8am they are currently working hard locked in a room full of TV's, consoles, handhelds, laptops and cameras.

The whole event is currently being streamed live for all to see to ensure any donators to the cause that the crew do indeed continue gaming for the entire 24 hour period.

So what exactly is Extra Life and why should you care? Their website provides the back story to the origins of why the charity and the event were set up:

Extra Life began in 2008 as a way of honoring a young lady named Victoria Enmon. Tori's battle against acute lymphoblastic leukemia inspired the Sarcastic Gamer Community in a way that is difficult to describe. Members sent in video games and bought gifts to keep Tori's spirits up despite numerous hospital stays and three bouts with the deadly disease.

Tragically, we lost Tori to cancer in January 2008. Later that year, I asked my partners at Sarcastic Gamer if they would be interested in Extra Life, a 24-hour video game marathon to raise money for the hospital that treated and fought beside Tori. In 2008 and 2009 Extra Life raised a combined $302,000, 100 percent of which went directly to help kids like Tori at my local Children's Miracle Network Hospital (Texas Children's Hospital).

While thousands of gamers, more than 100 websites and more than 12,000 donors were happy to support Extra Life, many expressed their desire to raise money to help kids closer to home. In what I can only consider destiny, in 2009 I left behind my radio career and went to work full-time for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals as a Radiothon Director. This life-changing event gave me unique insight into an incredible non-profit organization that helps kids all over the United States and Canada.

I quickly realized that Children's Miracle Network Hospitals would be the perfect solution to expand Extra Life into more communities.

This year, when you sign up to play video games for 24 hours on Oct. 15, 2011, you won't just be raising money for kids. You'll be supporting LOCAL kids and their families. Kids right in your own backyard.

All the money you raise for Extra Life 2011 will go directly to the Children's Miracle Network Hospital of your choice.

On the right is the N-E crew (Adam Ducker, Michael Jamieson, Michael Luckett, Phil Mansfield, Luke Stevens) who are raising money this year and will be non-stop gaming untill 8am tomorrow morning. If you would like to sponsor any member or the whole team taking part head over to the N-Europe Team page to give as little or as much as you can to help raise money for Extra Life and the children they support.

Links of interest:
Donate to the N-Europe Extra Life Team
Live Stream of the Event
Or follow the event on the N-Europe Forums: Extra Life 2011 Forum Thread

UPDATE:

The N-E Extra Life Crew finished up their 24 hour gaming marathon at 8am this morning and are all now enjoying some well earned shut eye for their efforts. The team had set a goal to raise $600 for "Children's Miracle Network Hospitals" and as the total currently stands they have gone far past that goal raising $733. This also beats the total amount raised last year of $567.

Donations can still be made up to the end of the year for Extra Life 2011 so if you didn't manage to donate before or during the event you don't have to wait for next years event, you can do it right now.

If you are interested in seeing the final full lists of games that kept each member of the team occupied for the 24 hour period check out the thread in our N-Europe Forums. As each of the guys wake up from their well deserved sleep they will be posting up their final play lists of yesterdays event.