For the 14th consecutive year, 2006 WSOP Main Event champion Jamie Gold brought Hollywood’s poker community together for a cause — and in late July, the Variety Children’s Charity Poker Event at Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles raised more than $250,000 for children with disabilities, special needs, and developmental challenges in Southern California.
UFC announcer Bruce Buffer co-hosted alongside Gold, delivering his trademark “it’s time” call to kick off the evening’s two poker tournaments — one high-stakes, one low-stakes — as well as casino games, a catered meal, and a cash bar. The invite-only event drew around 800 guests, according to PokerNews, and featured a sponsor list of 50 companies that included Paramount, Disney, Universal, MGM, Regal, and Dolby. Among the poker players in attendance were Michael Mizrachi, Ryan Feldman, and Kyle “Raver Poker” Ravreby, while celebrities including Peter Facinelli, Billy Burke, Mekhi Phifer, Ray J, Princess Love, Nick Gonzalez, Roger Cross, and Tony Dennison also took part.
Gold marked the occasion with a personal gesture: he presented six adaptive bikes to six children affiliated with Variety at the event. The Variety Children’s Charity of Southern California is said to benefit children facing disabilities and developmental challenges, with PokerNews reporting that the organization donates 85 percent of all proceeds directly to families in need and has been rated highly for effective giving on Charity Navigator.
PokerNews reported that the poker event has raised millions of dollars for Variety over the 14 years Gold has hosted it — a cumulative impact that reflects the sustained commitment of the Los Angeles entertainment and poker communities to the charity’s mission.
