Interview with Project Pinball - Episode 49
Send us Fan Mail On a special Holiday podcast, Jamie sat down with Daniel Spolar and Taj Kniceley of Project Pinball. This charity is near and dear to our hearts and we are so excited to bring you the origins of Project Pinball, their outstanding growth and service strategy and much more. Please consider donating to this wonder charity at
Kineticist’s take
Project Pinball charity founders discuss mission, growth from 1 to 81 machines, and personal drivers.
Synopsis
Jamie Burchell interviews Daniel Spoler (founder) and Taj Nicely (marketing/communications) from Project Pinball, a 501(c)(3) charity placing refurbished pinball machines in children's hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses, and other care facilities across the United States. The episode covers the charity's origin story (sparked by restoring a vandalized Spider-Man machine in 2011), growth to 81 machines nationwide, operational philosophy emphasizing transparency and community-driven fundraising, and the personal motivations of team members rooted in experiences with pediatric illness.
Entities
- Pinball Expo (Chicago)· event
- Guardians of the Galaxy· game
- Spider-Man· game
- Fort Myers Beach, Florida· location
- Chance for Hope· organization
- Chrissy Brown Oncology Ward· organization
- Electric Bat Arcade· organization
- Galsanos Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida· organization
- Hangar Pinball (Tulsa, Oklahoma)· organization
- Helen DeVos Children's Hospital· organization
- Nationwide Children's Hospital· organization
- Project Pinball· organization
- Ronald McDonald House (Columbus, Ohio)· organization
- Starfighters Arcade· organization
- Wormhole Pinball· organization
- Daniel Spoler· person
- Jamie Burchell· person
- Sierra (Project Pinball staff)· person
- Taj Nicely· person
- VP Cavs / Brad (VP Cavs founder)· person|company