Conquering For a Cause - The Purple Knights

For a Great Cause:

So rather than the usual hyperlink-in-text linkage to important sites, Facebook pages and the like, I'm changing this up.

Check these folks out. Right now... As in "before you read any further at all" now:

Purple Knights:

Their mission? Raising awareness about epilepsy, dispelling the myths and stigma that surround the condition and helping out local support centres.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purpleknights
Email: purpleknights911@gmail.com

Guys these are seriously important issues. I didn't have an accurate concept of what epilepsy really was before this past weekend or how badly so many people are affected by it. My only encounter with the condition before was when a girl in my elementary school had a seizure and she was taken away by an ambulance. The teachers all kept it very hush-hush instead of educating us about it which, looking back, I wish they had. Don't take your viewpoint from me though, take it from Phil Abraham aka "Twitch" the Purple Knights organizer.

"People die from seizures everyday think of it like this, when someone is having a seizure it's like holding the power button on your PC until it restarts. We just hope that we wake up but sometimes people have seizure and... the PC doesn't reboot."

I can only imagine what it must be like to lose control and feel as helpless as the condition can make people feel. I picture being in a nightmare, unable to wake myself up and just waiting and hoping that it ends quickly but people with epilepsy don't get to just 'wake up' from the nightmare as it's something that becomes and ever-present concern in their lives. 

Again, from Phil, "sometimes I'll shed a tear, its very hard to go through life not doing things like everyone else and have to rely on rides to places like paintball". Understandably Phil can't risk driving as he's affected by seizures four to fives times each day. You might get in your car and dread the boredom of a commute to work, where many people simply wish they were able to drive themselves regardless of the time or traffic. Epilepsy can rob you of so many of the freedoms that we take for granted.

So I'm asking all of you to head over to the Purple Knights page and give them a like, post to the page and ask them how you can help. 'Twitch' (and yes it's a reference to his epilepsy) makes and sells a number of different items such as car decals, Purple Knights t-shirts, paintball air tank decals and more to raise money for the cause. All funds are split 50/50 to cover the production costs and the profits go directly to aiding epilepsy support centers.

Purple Paintballers:

I the good in the hearts of my fellow paintballers last year at the Erin's Army Die Glocke event, and again at this year's Conquer the Asylum where Purple Knights fundraisers were held. I'm asking you all now to head over to the page and help them out so that they can continue helping others who so dearly need the assistance.

Think of it this way folks, but for the grace of God (or whichever power you do or do not believe in) there goes you. Anyone could be diagnosed with epilepsy folks, it doesn't play favourites so if just as a form of karmic repayment in thanks that you're fortunate enough to not be directly affected by it, send some help the way of those who are, and the people working to help them.

Having a sick paintball decal from the Purple Knights doesn't just say "I love paintball", it says "I"m a paintballer with heart".

Remember folks, it's good to give back :)

And remember, when the going get's tough, the tough keep calm... And throw paint!

Joshua J. Taylor - The Noob Baller