In November 2025, the Rhoades Institute of Technology attended Gamesgiving, a local gaming convention in Racine, Wisconsin. It was our first public fundraising presence — and the first real test of whether RIT’s mission resonated with actual people in an actual room.
It did.
The Setup
Gamesgiving was a natural fit. RIT’s community model starts with shared interests — gaming, creativity, building things together — and uses those connections as the foundation for civic dialogue. A gaming convention full of people who already know how to cooperate, problem-solve, and build communities? That’s exactly the audience we were designed for.
Preparation meant keeping it simple and personal. We put together grab bags with classic Magic: The Gathering cards, premium candy sourced in bulk from local stores, and RIT bookmarks explaining our mission. The bags cost under a dollar each to assemble, but they carried real value — something unexpected and thoughtful that signaled we were here to give, not just to pitch.
What Happened
Every single person we talked to about RIT had the same reaction: “This is such a good idea. How can I get involved?” That wasn’t polite nodding — that was genuine enthusiasm from people who recognized a gap in their community and saw RIT as something that could fill it.
We received our first donation — five dollars from someone who believed in what we were building. The amount isn’t the point. The fact that a stranger reached into their pocket for an organization that was four months old — that’s the point.
We got our Stripe account set up and running, which meant RIT could accept card donations on the spot. That’s a small infrastructure milestone with outsized importance: it meant we were no longer just a concept. We were a functioning organization that could accept real support.
Connections That Opened Up
The conversations at Gamesgiving went far beyond casual interest.
Guys Games & Beer (G2B), a well-known local gaming podcast and community group, expressed interest in partnering on events and fundraisers. They’re exactly the kind of community-rooted organization RIT was built to work alongside.
We also made contacts for getting involved with Gamehole Con, Egg-Con, and several other Midwest gaming conventions. These aren’t cold leads — they’re warm invitations from people who saw what RIT is doing and wanted us at their events.
What It Proved
Gamesgiving proved something we had theorized but never tested: that gamers and creative communities are a natural starting point for civic engagement. People who cooperate in games, who build communities around shared interests, who show up for each other at conventions — they already have the skills that civic dialogue requires. They just need a space that connects those skills to something bigger.
It also proved that RIT’s approach — leading with genuine connection rather than heavy-handed messaging — works. We didn’t lecture anyone about civic literacy. We handed out grab bags, talked about what we were building, and let people draw their own conclusions. The enthusiasm was organic.
What Comes Next
Gamesgiving was the starting line, not the finish. The connections formed that weekend opened doors to more events, more communities, and more opportunities to test whether RIT’s model scales beyond a single convention in Racine.
The answer to “how can we get involved?” is becoming clearer with every event and every conversation. We’re building something — and now we have proof that people want to be part of it.
Want to join the community we’re building? Visit our community page to learn more, or reach out to connect with us directly.