File this under awesome. A 68-year-old grandmother from New Jersey is going to play Solitaire Blitz for 30 hours to set a new Guinness World Record while also raising money for charity: water.
This week Seattle-based PopCap announced that Kathleen Henkel will attempt the marathon session of their Facebook game to help raise funds for clean-water projects during their Solitaire Blitz World Record Event. Henkel, a lifelong solitaire player, has a personal stake in it as well. She helped build a well in a West African village, and her ties remain close to the community. She has traveled to West Africa every year since 2003 to work on such projects.
For the event, the top two players of Solitaire Blitz — Laura Rich of Cardiff, Wales, is the other contestant — will attempt to play for 30 consecutive hours on June 26 and 27 to set a new Guinness World Record and raise funds. If they make it, 100 percent of proceeds will go to the clean-water charity that works on projects in developing nations.
For those interested in supporting their efforts, PopCap has a donation system in place where fans can contribute on Facebook via a pledge tab based on the number of hours the players finish. PopCap reports that Solitaire Blitz has had more than three million players since it launched in March. To date, they also report that nearly $45K has been pledged.
Even the most hardcore solitaire enthusiasts may have doubts if Henkel will set the new record for the longest videogames marathon playing a card game. She may prove them wrong: “Digital solitaire involves concentration, hand-eye coordination and puts me in a zone,” she said in a release. ” I swear it’s zen…and Solitaire Blitz takes the experience to a whole new level…
“I’m very, very motivated.”
