A Community Fracturing

Kem Louissaint recently reached out to me about introducing his Boo TCG to our game night, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! I eagerly shared that the D&B game night is an open invitation event, and we would be absolutely delighted to welcome him. However, I made it a point to passionately emphasize that this gathering is all about the joy of board games, compared to the card game releases I’ve encountered.

Personally, I feel like the gaming industry as a whole is splitting down faction lines, which is becoming increasingly apparent in our local gaming communities. There are an increasing number of “card shops” that focus solely on trading card games and not as many all-inclusive game shops that cater to diverse gaming experiences. This shift has caused the “card shops” to become increasingly inhospitable to board game groups, especially those that do not generate instant or recurring revenue. These dynamics are troubling, as I see how many times board game groups has been invited to vacate venues simply because they do not contain the right kind of gamer.

Our once vibrant and inclusive gaming nights seem to be overshadowed by the needs of a more specialized audience. So my question is thus: in y’alls opinion, should I provide a strictly open invite to maintain our inclusive spirit or make a hard “no TCG groups allowed” policy to protect the integrity of our board game event? This is truly a dilemma that weighs on my mind.

I have the choice since I’m not a game shop (nor do I have designs to become one). At best, I’d spin up a cover charge to help manage the expenses, but I don’t see that happening as long as costs don’t explode out of control unexpectedly. The group, in general, has never actually failed to provide for itself via donations, which reflects the strong sense of community we’ve built. Matter of fact, at our last game day, we had enough monetary donations to cover the game night expenses and even have a bit left over to put towards future events, which is a great segue into what’s coming next. This time around, there are four donation channels available at game day, each designed to cater to different preferences and levels of contribution. These are merely choices for our attendees and in no way mandatory; participation is welcome but never an obligation, allowing everyone to contribute as they feel comfortable without any pressure.

• As of last week, we are proud to announce that we have become an official Toys for Tots drop site. This initiative aims to bring joy and smiles to children in need during the holiday season. Feel free to bring a new, unwrapped toy for drop-off if you want to contribute to this wonderful cause and help spread holiday cheer in our community. Thank you for your generosity and support!
• On that note, not everyone will want to go out and buy a toy, so I grabbed a Samaritan’s Purse shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. That way, if you have something small to contribute, you can do that. Hit me up for a list of stuff you can grab, which might include items like stuffed animals, school supplies, hygiene products, and more. Every little bit helps, and it’s a wonderful way to share some joy and the love of Christ during the holiday season!
• As per usual, we have our canned food drive running so we can help out locals suffering from food insecurity by collecting non-perishable food items, particularly canned goods, which will be distributed to families in need. Your contributions are invaluable in making a positive impact in our community and ensuring that no one goes hungry.
• As always, monetary donations are welcome and appreciated, but I want to emphasize that they will NEVER be mandatory if I can help it. Your involvement and support in other ways are just as valuable and important to me, and I truly appreciate any effort you make regardless of financial contributions.