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United Way holds 3rd Annual Texas Hold'em Tournament

United Way set for 'big' gamble
Texas Hold 'em event Jan. 17 helps programs
Trevis R. Badeaux
tbadeaux@theadvertiser.com

"It's a pretty big deal."

That's how Stephanie Mire, United Way of Acadiana Inc. spokeswoman, described the nonprofit agency's third-annual Texas Hold 'em tournament.

The Acadiana Series of Poker tournament is set for Jan. 17 at the Heymann Performing Arts Center. Registration begins at noon. Plate lunches will be available for $5 at 4 p.m.
Dealing begins at 6 p.m. Late entries will be accepted until 8 p.m. Tickets are $60.

The top prize is a $5,000 Visa gift card, a championship ring and a shot at a seat on the Small Town Poker Tour Pro-Am Series amateur national poker tour, the group hired to run the Jan. 17 competition.

"If you want to win the tournament, you're going to have to know what you're doing," said event chairman Larry Hartman with Chevron.

The tournament is not a showdown for professionals, Hartman said. Rather, it's a chance for enthusiasts and average people interested in the game to play poker against other enthusiasts.

"Most competitors are people like you and me who play in the basement and wonder how we would do in a tournament setting," he said. "You spend $60 to $100, play for four hours and all the money goes to charity."

Proceeds benefit the United Way of Acadiana, which helps fund 60 programs through 38 agencies providing after-school care for children, prescription assistance, counseling services and transportation.

More than 640 people turned out for the 2006 tournament. Organizers expect to at least match last year's attendance.

The Acadiana Series of Poker tournament began three years ago when Chevron employees approached the United Way of Acadiana about hosting a tournament as a fundraiser for the nonprofit agency. The group also hosts a gumbo cook-off and clay shoot to benefit United Way, according to Myrtis Ashley, campaign director.

"There's a whole sector of society we are not able to reach," said Ashley, who volunteered as a dealer at the two previous events. "These people are serious about the game. They won't drink a beer or a glass of wine. No distractions. It's all about the skill they've learned."

Lifesavers Raise Thousands at Charity Poker Tournament

Project Lifesaver Foundation Executive Director Rick Rahim is very pleased.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 3, 2007 -- The Project Lifesaver Foundation raised thousands of dollars today in a successful charity poker tournament. The tournament was hosted by Rhett Butler, who is a founding benefactor of the foundation.

Mr. Butler is known to many in the poker world as the local man who won fifth place in the 2006 World Series of Poker held in Las Vegas, NV. Rhett won $3,216,182.00 in that event. Rhett's performance was no fluke. He has since made other final tables and cashed in many large tournaments.

Fun was had by all in the holiday charity tournament. And thousands of dollars were donated to Project Lifesaver, so that less fortunate families might benefit from the lifesaving technology offered by Project Lifesaver.

"We are very thrilled that Rhett was able to provide such generous support through his poker tournament," said Rick Rahim, Executive Director of the Project Lifesaver Foundation.

If you are interested in hosting a charity poker tournament to benefit Project Lifesaver, please contact us at 703-225-3100.

The Project Lifesaver Foundation website is available at http://www.ProjectLifesaverFoundation.org

Please give so that others may live ...

Fundraisers.com featured article in the San Francisco Chronicle
Click here to read the whole story (pdf format)

Raw deal for tourney host Wahlberg

By Bernard Lee - The Boston Herald

I was the "celebrity dealer" at the final table of a Texas Hold'em Tournament at Focaccia restaurant in Wilmington last Monday night to benefit the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation.
I was still wrapping my mind around the phrase "celebrity dealer," as more than 100 players gathered to help a worthy cause, eat delicious Italian food and, of course, play some poker.
Mark Wahlberg was unable to attend, so brother Donnie substituted as host of the event. To his credit, Donnie played well and eventually made it to the final table. But his night came to an abrupt end when yours truly dealt the host some heartbreaking cards.
With blinds at 8,000 and 16,000, Donnie had about 55,000 chips. Unfortunately, he lost a cruel hand when his opponent's Ad-2d beat his 8h-8c after one of the final three aces (Ac) fell on the river. The loss crippled Donnie, leaving him with only 16,000 chips, just enough to call the big blind.
In the spirit of the season, check out www.markwahlbergyouthfoundation.com, a group that helps service and enrichment programs for inner-city kids.

click here to read entire article

Billionaire Warren Buffett plays charity poker, goes broke quick

OMAHA, Nebraska: Warren Buffett, billionaire investor and avid bridge player, took less than 45 minutes to go broke in a charity poker tournament.

"It's different than bridge," said Buffett, 76, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. "I was confused. I thought the low score won."

He was among 50 amateur, celebrity and professional players who competed in a Texas Hold'em poker tournament Thursday night.

The tournament celebrated a recent $5 million renovation of retailer Borsheims, which is owned by Berkshire Hathaway.

Donations from the event benefited the Nebraska Make-a-Wish program.

Players included Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and professional poker players David Williams, Evelyn Ng and Michael Mizrachi. They competed for a $3,500 watch featured in the new James Bond movie, "Casino Royale."

An amateur player from Omaha won the watch.

-associated press-

Guilt-Free Gambling for Nonprofit Youth Programs

Victor Nunez is in National City running a nonprofit youth athletic program, and guilt-free gambling is all around. The state lottery. Commercial card rooms. Sports and Internet wagering. Televised poker tournaments.

But Nunez thinks it is Indian gaming, more than anything else, that's neutralizing the social stigma of gambling, in large part because of tribes' support for organizations such as his Community Youth Athletic Center.

click to read the whole story-

$15,000 dontated to the Elderly from Hold 'Em Game

A few hands of Texas Hold 'Em at Foxwoods Resort Casino paid off big Thursday for a local group that provides transportation, food and clothing to elderly and low-income residents.

Foxwoods President John O'Brien presented the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Association with a check for $15,000, the top prize at the casino's third annual World Poker Finals Media Showdown held last month.

The winner of the charity card game was R.D. "Buck" Griffith, circulation manager of The Resident newspaper, who designated his winnings for the Pawcatuck group. The $15,000 contribution was the largest the neighborhood center has ever received, said Vicki Anderson, its executive director.

click to read entire story-

NY Yankees Pitcher Cory Lidle Loved Poker

The poker world lost a friend with the death of New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle Wednesday, Oct. 11th. Lidle was killed when the small plane he was flying crashed into an apartment building in New York City.

Lidle held a celebrity poker tournament for charity once a year in Las Vegas for the Make A Wish Foundation rasing money to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.

Lidle had said in the past that his dream when he retired from baseball was to be a professional poker player.

Click to read full story by John Caldwell

Success at Carmen Electra's Celebrity Charity Poker Tournament

LAS VEGAS - On Saturday, June 3rd, 2006, Helio presented the first-annual Head to Hollywood Celebrity Charity Poker Tournament and Auction hosted by Carmen Electra, raising close to $100,000 for the charity for brain tumor survivors.

The event took place at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas and was sponsored by Helio and Stoli Blueberry. Head to Hollywood is a nonprofit program of the Pituitary Network Association that provides brain tumor survivors and their families with dream trips to Hollywood.

Unexpectedly joining the players inside the club was actor Sean Penn, as well as David Spade and Shannon Elizabeth.

READ THE FULL STORY

Head to Hollywood's Ken Baker shares a moment with actress Krista Allen and comedian David Spade, both of whom attended the event to show their support. Allen, who owns "SuperExcellent by Krista Allen", donated commemorative t-shirts for the event.


For more on...

The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, please visit www.hardrockhotel.com

Head to Hollywood Charity, please visit www.headtohollywood.com

Helio, please visit www.helio.com

Join the voice of Bart Simpson for Charity Poker Tourney

Nancy Cartwright, The Voice of Bart Simpson, is hosting a benefit for the Police Activities League at her home on Sept 30th. This semi-formal Monte Carlo night has a WSOP poker licensedTexas Hold 'Em tourney with top prize a seat at the 2007 Main Event.

All proceeds go to the building of a new youth center for at risk kids in the San Fernando Valley.

We need more players and guests. For more information for those who would like to attend, please call Peter Kjenaaas at 818-882-7336.

(Nancy Cartwright with her alter ego, Bart Simpson. as taken from Nancy's website nancycartwright.com)