Nancy De Gennaro

degennaro@dnj.com

MURFREESBORO — For those who seem to be out there wandering aimlessly in search of Pokemon, Timothy Jacobs is offering hunters a way to add meaning to the game.

The PokeBoro Challenge on Friday combines philanthropy with Pokemon to raise funds for the Dreams and Wishes Foundation of Tennessee, an organization that grants wishes to children who have relapsed from cancer. The event starts at 4:30 p.m. on the Public Square.

"This entire event started as just trying to plan an event for a public movie viewing (of "Pokemon The Movie 2000") and it's just snowballed into this huge event because people are interested in Pokemon," said Jacobs, a 23-year-old college student.

Pokemon Go draws Murfreesboro players together

Although Pokemon was overwhelmingly popular during the 1990s, a resurgence has taken place this year after the July release of Pokemon Go, a mobile location-based augmented reality game in which users capture virtual creatures. For most of the summer, Murfreesboro's Public Square has been filled with mobile phone users seeking these virtual Pokemon to capture on the game.

"A lot of (Pokemon fans) are loving being able to play the game for a good cause," Jacobs said.

His connection to Dreams and Wishes stems from his own childhood battle with a brain tumor. At age 12 he was diagnosed with pilomyxoid astrocytoma, and the mass was located on his brain stem.

"It wasn't a cancerous tumor, but because of its location, they treated me as if it was cancer. At the time they said I only had a year to live," Jacobs recalled.

He was granted his dream trip to Hawaii by the Make-A-Wish Foundation four months after he was diagnosed. Heading up the Wish Team was Tanya Sturm, who later went on to found Dreams and Wishes, a volunteer-based nonprofit that focuses on granting wishes for those ages 5 to 21 who have relapsed from cancer or have never received a wish from another organization.

When Jacobs approached her about doing a fundraiser for her nonprofit, she was all in, he said.

Proceeds from the fundraising will go to grant wishes of three children, who represent the three Pokemon Go teams: Mystic, Valor and Instinct.

You can pick whichever team you want, or go with the team you are a member of on Pokemon Go, he said. Teams can raise funds however they choose, whether it's pledging $1 for every Pokemon caught or simply asking for donations that will go to Dreams and Wishes.

"The goal is for each team to raise at least $2,500. But regardless of how much we raise, the wishes of the three children will be granted," Jacobs explained.

Nearly 100 prizes will be up for grabs for the winning teams.

"Everybody on the team that raises the most will get a prize," he said. "Plus there will be other prizes for the other two teams."

After the Pokemon hunting is over, there will be live music, food and prizes at The Block restaurant, located at 123 S.E. Broad St.

And anyone can participate, whether you're a newbie to Pokemon Go or a pro, he noted.

"The thing people need to remember is all three of these kids have terminal cancer," Jacobs said. "Having wishes granted ... it's really fun. It gets you out of the hospital, gets your mind off everything that's been going on and has you focusing on something fun other than the fact you've been diagnosed with cancer."

The PokeBoro Challenge starts on the Public Square and runs 4:30-6:30 p.m. Friday. At 7 p.m., "Pokemon The Movie 2000" will be shown at The Block, where winners will be announced at 8:30 p.m. Beginning at 9 p.m., a Dreams and Wishes Dance Party will feature the talents of Sheep Shifter, Drake Wallace, CronunDrum, Davega Bike, The Acorn People, Kevvi and Cull.

Donate at dreamsandwishesoftn.org and list your team name in the "last name" section. You also can visit the Facebook event page, tinyurl.com/pokeborochallenge.

Reach Nancy De Gennaro at 615-278-5148 and on Twitter @DNJMama and Instagram @LoisLane71.



If you go

What: PokeBoro Challenge

When: 4:30-6:30 p.m. Friday

Where: Murfreesboro Public Square

Registration: dreamsandwishesoftn.org

Dreams and Wishes Kids

Team Mystic: Alicia, 10, has a brain/spinal tumor. Her wish is to visit Legoland.

Team Instinct: Julie, 21, has osteosarcoma. She wants to visit Gatlinburg.

Team Valor: Deja, 7, has leukemia and wants to visit Gatlinburg.

Visit dreamsandwishesoftn.org to donate.