Do you remember your first exposure to a pinball machine and the excitement it brought you? Do you ever wonder what it would be like if you weren’t able to play pinball?

There are some wonderful people coming to the Expo who have dedicated their lives to helping children who are hospitalized with medical issues. They are the charity known as Project Pinball. Daniel Spolar and his staff have placed many pinball machines in Hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses across the country to provide a spark of enjoyment during what can be a traumatic stay in a Hospital for kids.

Unfortunately, not everyone has the physical capability to reach the flipper buttons on a pinball machine. So what can be done to help those who are physically limited to enjoy this wonderful experience we take for granted? The Project Pinball team is working with several companies to develop game controllers that will give everyone “the freedom to play pinball.” The controllers are specifically designed to allow people with disabilities to play pinball and be included in pinball events and tournaments. Those who are in a wheel chair or have other problems working the flippers will be able to use a newly developed controllers to play pinball by using the remote flipper buttons on the new controller.

This year the Project Pinball booth will have 10 or more pins from several different manufacturers set up for you to play with the new inclusive and accessible controllers. Come and try them out and provide your feedback on how they work!

They will also be hosting an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Inclusive Pinball Tournament named “Freedom to Play” that will feature the ADA Enhanced Game Controllers. Join in on the tournament and experience these controllers first hand! It’s absolutely free and there will be some neat prizes to win by just entering the tournament. Top finishers will receive plaques and more cool prizes! The link to the event page for the Tournament is: https://facebook.com/events/s/freedom-to-play-pinball-tourna/1440906456753482/?mibextid=RQdjqZ

This year the Project Pinball booth will also feature a Space Jam themed pinball machine that was designed and developed for actor Christopher Reeve who was paralyzed from the shoulders down after suffering a fall from a horse. This special pinball machine was made so he could enjoy a game of pinball during his stays at the hospital.

WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT PROJECT PINBALL

• Project pinball will once again be holding a live auction at the EXPO from Thursday October 19th through Saturday October 21st at 4:00 PM. You can check out the items available at the Project Pinball booth and bid on some amazing items with the proceeds going to the charity.
• You can buy raffle tickets for a Williams Comet pinball machine that will be awarded during the Expo.
• Daily during the Expo you can compete for the high score on Flipper Football at the Project Pinball booth.
• For the first time this year you can participate in a 50/50 drawing with a payout of $5000 when the fund reaches $10,000.
• Also, there are ongoing raffles for your choice of Stern Pro and Premium pinball machines. For more information on Project Pinball and how you can help, go to their website at https://projectpinball.org/.
• And, of course, you can make a donation directly to the Project Pinball Charity to support any or a specific Hospital fund raising project.
  Please support our friends at Project Pinball and all of the children who benefit from this great charity!

News Article Alert!

Project Pinball Charity, along with Stern Pinball were mentioned in Chicago’s LARGEST daily newspaper, the Daily Herald!

Submitted by Rob Berk and his Team at Pinball Expo, the article was published yesterday, Oct. 13th.

Project Pinball’s partnership with Pinball Expo was highlighted, and we feel just as excited for the future of this AMAZING pinball event!

We are so incredibly thankful for all the support, shoutouts, & mentions from everyone in the community.

See you soon Pinball Expo!!

https://www.dailyherald.com/submitted/20221013/pinball-expo-is-bouncing-back-to-chicago-area-for-the-38th-year

Special Needs Teacher at Lockwood Elementary School in Eaton Rapids, MI-
Ms. Gochenour has updated us with her student’s progress since the School Days pinball machine has been dedicated this year!

School Days is a rethemed Williams Ding Dong.

“The students have been super excited about learning their scores. I’m finding that our number recognition is improving since we talk about scores in the thousands now.

Overall, the pinball machine is an amazing addition to our classroom, as well as to Lockwood in general. We have staff that utilizes the machine almost daily. We have specific students that will ask for Pinball Play on a daily basis. The games have been easy to fit into our routine at school. To be honest, now that it is here, I can’t imagine life without it!

Thanks again and please let the team know that we truly appreciate their generosity. The pinball machine is absolutely making a positive impact at Lockwood Elementary!”

45TV’s Dr. Chuck Ells at the Institute of Laughter has a new pinball machine that bears his name — and a Project Pinball Charity event to boot.

The PinMobile Has Finally Received a New Engine!!

Today, we received amazing news from the mechanic! The PinMobile finally has its new engine in place! We are impatient to pick up the Escalade, however, a full check-up is to ensure it’s completely healthy before the Team hits the road again.

Now with the PinMobile regaining reliability, the Team can safely travel during the upcoming Spring 2022 Love Across America Tour!

This tour will consist of 6 Dedications in 5 States: Alabama, Florida, Michigan, New York, and Texas. The total distance traveled during the trip will be above 6,000 Miles!

The Dedication Dates for the Spring 2022 Love Across America Tour are as follows:
– June 6th: St. Petersburg, Florida
– June 8th: Birmingham, Alabama
– June 10th: San Antonio, Texas, #1
– June 10th: San Antonio, Texas, #2
– June 16th: Eaton Rapids, Michigan
– June 21st: New York, New York

We are hoping to pick up the PinMobile soon and we CAN’T WAIT to welcome it home with the Pinball Community.

Until then, visit the GoFundMe to read the kind words written during the campaign. Your words of encouragement were noted – Wish the PinMobile luck and Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

The Project Pinball Team are proud to officially announce our newest addition!

Meet Taj Kniceley! She was born and raised in Springfield, OH, and attended Wittenberg University. She is currently completing online Gardening and Landscape courses at Stratford Career Institute and will be finishing her bachelor’s degree in English at Michigan State University. She also works at her neighborhood market in the cheese department and in the garden center! A little over two years ago she moved to Michigan and now resides in Grand Rapids with her significant other, two cats, a leopard gecko, 20 plus plants, and whatever wildlife that finds their way to her.

“I’m very excited to be a part of this community! It’s so important to free our minds of the stress reality can sometimes swallow us in and pinball is a great outlet. When I’m not helping out the charity, I like to hike, restore antiques, and get lost playing Mario on my old Game Boy. My goal is to help the team at Project Pinball grow the charity even more and continue creating fun and safe spaces for people of all ages to relax and recover. I’m looking forward to my first machine dedication–it will definitely be one for the books!”

Taj will oversee and help coordinate all of Project Pinball’s events and marketing. If you are interested in pairing up with Taj on a fundraising event OR if you are are interested in Project Pinball volunteer opportunities, you can contact her at develop.projectpinball@gmail.com.

She will be attending the 38th Annual Pinball Expo in Schaumburg, IL, with the team on October 19th-22nd. Be sure to give her a warm welcome to the pinball community! She might even accept a high-score challenge on her favorite machine, The Mandalorian.

Thank you to our followers this week that donated to help save the PinMobile! So far we’ve raised a little over $1000 with 22 donations! To learn more and help out the charity’s PinMobile you can click our GoFundMe link → https://gofundme.com/f/help-us-save-the-project-pinball-mobile

Tell us your name and leave a comment! We will gladly share your words of encouragement with the Escalade before surgery.

If you’re familiar with Project Pinball, then you know our iconic Escalade.
If you’re a newbie, then let’s meet the PinMobile!

When the charity began in 2011 we needed a vehicle large enough to transport pinball machines, so our founder generously donated his personal car. 11 years later and OVER 350,000 miles and here we have our trusty steed.

But even a hero calls in sick. Due to high mileage and working long shifts on the road, our precious Escalade is ill.

Losing oil pressure by the minute, we decided to contact a doctor for an engine transplant. Our team is currently at home base, but soon we are back on the road and can’t imagine our long trips without it!

Keep our beloved PinMobile in your thoughts as it wheels down the road of repair.

Click below to:

Help Us Save The Project Pinball Mobile!

We need your help! (See the end of the post for the link)
As you’ve seen the last few days, the PinMobile is essential to not only the team but also to the charity by helping us place pinball machines nationwide.

Every year the Love Across America (LAA) Tour adds on about 15,000 miles, and therefore the engine is no longer as healthy as it once was, causing oil pressure to steadily leak. Our goal is to raise $10,000 before the next LAA tour and replace the engine so we can take our esteemed workhorse on the road for the next chapter of its life.
If the Escalade reaches retirement, then traveling to dedications, expos, and fundraising events will prove to be difficult considering the lack of appropriate resources.

Click the link below to donate and help us save the Project Pinball Charity Mobile!

Every dollar counts, and we thank you in advance with love in our hearts. The Escalade is part of the Project Pinball family and will do anything to keep it that way!

To help out the charity’s PinMobile you can click our GoFundMe link →https://gofundme.com/f/help-us-save-the-project-pinball-mobile
Tell us your name and leave a comment! We will gladly share your words of encouragement with the Escalade before surgery.