Ye Gamer's Guild Inclusive Project

Tabletop gaming, role-playing games, and card games have been a means for people to come together and form friendships for decades. There is a sense of camaraderie and fellowship that develops with those who meet across a table for a weekly game that is unique in that many times these are total strangers to one another before they begin playing. For some people, their weekly game is the social event of their week, old friendships are renewed and new friendships formed.

In Over 30 years of gaming, I have seen this time and time again and it never ceases to amaze and humble me. I pride myself on the most basic of statements I always declare at the start of of gaming with a new group of players: “All are welcome at our table”.

Ye Gamers Guild is a local gaming club in Indianapolis, Indiana that runs weekly games out of local comic shops, game stores, and homes. We are a fairly diverse group of the young and old, varying income levels, disabilities, genders, political beliefs, occupations, and race..

Looking back over the past few years I have been proud of the members in my group for living up to our Creed “All are welcome at our Table”. But, I believe we can do better.

We all watch the news, read the newspapers and daily  see articles on children, teens, and young adults that felt suicide, self-harm, or drug and alcohol addiction were their only choices. The wall of troubles that face these groups are huge.

Bullying - Sexism - Racism - Homophobia - Discrimination based on disability.

These people were not welcome at someones table.

Ye Gamers Guild is currently making plans to partner with local groups that address the problems mentioned by the aforementioned groups with an emphasis being placed on bullying since it cast such a wide net over so many. Ye Gamers Guild is working on gaming supplies to sell to help defray the cost of these goals but we need help to create a foundation to build on.

Funds will be used for:
Raising awareness of the Inclusiveness Project.
Building Game Libraries for organizations, school clubs, and youth related groups.
Assisting those who have difficulty (by merit of disability) attending game functions with better access to conventions, gaming social engagements, and local games.
A training program for game and event organizers to assist them in making their events as inclusive as possible.
Grants to be awarded to groups who are putting into practice the ideals of The Inclusiveness Project.
A central gaming hub locally and eventually abroad as a safe place to introduce gaming to those who may have never considered gaming as an outlet to assist them with social interactions with their peers in a non-judgmental forum.
This hub will hopefully be self sustaining financially, allowing more funds to go towards the previous goals of awareness and outreach. A physical game club would allow us needed office space, a gathering place, and a place where our creed is placed into practice: “All are welcome at our Table”.

The enormity of this undertaking is not lost on us, and to achieve any of our goals we will need help in funding these goals. We understand no one donates to a cause to earn a trinket, a rubber bracelet, their name mentioned in an annual list of donors. They donate because they believe in the cause and see the need for it. Hopefully, after reading this project outline you do believe in what we are trying to accomplish, understand the need we are trying to fulfill, and are willing and able to make a donation of any amount. If you have ever known someone who needed to know that they were welcome, that they were safe, and that they were supported, please donate.

If you have ever felt the need to be included, to know that friends were just a tables length away, please donate.

If you believe “All are welcome at YOUR table” please donate.


As we obtain donations we will give regular updates on our progress in meeting our goals, and will reward donors not only with our heartfelt thanks but an opportunity  to share in the programs the guild hopes to enact.

Ye Gamer's Guild are Jason "Merlin" Edwards, a Pediatric Nurse, Father, Husband and Game Master.Wyatt Edwards, secondary Guildmaster, and over 30 additional gamers stretched over several tables that serve as volunteers, playtesters, game masters, and the core of of our foundation.