In a state with no poker rooms, only one Indian casino and which in the past couple of years only offered its citizens a state lottery, poker will be the featured attraction to raise money for two very deserving charitable organizations.
Chips For Charity, a non-profit organization based in Cary, NC, will be hosting their First Annual “All In For Youth” poker tournament at the Marriott at Research Triangle Park on January 10th at noon. The organization, founded in 2007, attempts to provide awareness, resources, and advocacy to local charities and their valuable purposes. They do this through a completely voluntary effort that features poker tournaments in the Triangle area.
Travis Kelley, the founder of the organization, pointed out how difficult it is for charitable causes to raise funds nowadays. “With the local and national economies, it is tough for them to raise money,” he told Poker News Daily. “The popularity of poker is a great way to raise awareness and donations for these groups. It is also a way for people to come together for good causes and play some cards at the same time.”
The tournament is limited to the first 300 people who register at the website of Chips For Charity. For a $75 buy in, the players will have a chance to battle for the top prize of two tickets to this year’s Super Bowl – which will be played in Tampa, FL – for the winner of the tournament. Three other contestants will also have an opportunity to win either a 2009 Cadillac CTS or $15,000 cash. Above all else, however, is the opportunity for two locally based charities to raise money for their causes.
The Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill provides families with the basic necessities and comforts of home so that they can focus on caring for a sick child. Many come from hundreds of miles away, seeking the best possible care for their child at local hospitals. Traveling back and forth from home or staying at an area hotel can take its toll on already pinched pocketbooks. The Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill provides for these families with thirty hotel-style guest rooms that offer patients, parents and siblings the chance to stay close during tough times.
Volunteers for Youth provides services to Orange County youth, helping them become contributing members of the community. Founded in 1981, it is an organization that assists high risk youths by matching them with adult volunteer sponsors that show them how to be valuable members of the city through various methods.
Kelley expects this to be the first of many charity poker tournaments to be held by Chips For Charity. “There’s quite a bit of planning and execution to these events to be able to make sure they are run flawlessly, but we want to do them as frequently as possible,” Kelley stated. “We want to try to help our community, help out families in need and as many charities as we can.”
The “All In For Youth” poker tournament will be a good chance to play poker for a good cause. There are only about fifty slots left in the 300 player event and you must enter online to be able to play. For more information about the tournament, Kelley’s organization or the charities that will benefit 100% from the proceeds of the event, visit the Chips For Charity website for more details.
