Royal Oak

Not playing around

By Jeremy Carroll
C & G Staff Writer

Royal Oak resident, vet collecting video games for soldiers

ROYAL OAK — While stationed with the Army National Guard in a remote part of Afghanistan in early 2007, Royal Oak resident and avid video game player Jesse Williams was without much entertainment in his down time.

“Some of the bigger areas have computer rooms and televisions,” Williams said. “But we really didn’t have anything.”

So he reached out to some video game companies, magazines and video rental companies for help.

“It worked remarkably well,” Williams said. “The generosity of all of these companies was amazing.”

Now back home, the 31-year-old Dondero High School graduate is looking to help other units stationed in remote areas overseas with the newly formed Games for Soldiers program. He sends donated video games and DVDs to units stationed in remote locations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He said they accept anything in way of donations.

“Obviously newer games are great, because most of the soldiers don’t usually have newer stuff,” Williams said. “But when you are over there, you are not picky.”

Sports games that get updated yearly are very popular, he said, but so are games dubbed “first-person shooters,” which often simulate war.

“We played a lot of war-type games that allow us to compete against each other,” he said. “It sounds strange, but it was a good stress reliever.”

Garth Chouteau, spokesperson for PopCop Games, based in Seattle, Wash., said they donated about 60 copies of various games after Williams contacted them.

“We are glad to be part of the program,” he said.

The company makes many popular titles for computer games, including Bejeweled and Peggle.

“They are simple puzzle games, but are very engaging and downright addictive at times,” Chouteau said.

They donated the specific games because they’ve been known to be a stress reliever and have a calming effect, he said.

Williams said his Web site detailing the program has been running for only a couple of weeks, but they’ve already been able to fill several requests from soldiers overseas. The site includes a spot for soldiers to say what games they would like.

Along with games, video game systems are needed as well.

“Systems are great, although we don’t get many of them because of the cost,” Williams said.

For more information on the organization, or how to do donate to it, visit www.gamesforsoldiers.org.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@candgnews.com or at (586)279-1110.