PokerWorks

Charity poker tournaments have become a popular way for organizations to raise funds, but some are so successful and garner so much support in the poker community that they take place annually. Such is the case with the Third Annual Poker Pro-Celebrity Challenge to benefit the 1736 Family Crisis organization. And this year, the names and prizes couldn’t be better, starting with Jason Alexander being named the host for the festivities.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, at Hollywood Park Casino in Los Angeles, California. The $250 buy-in tournament begins at 2pm, but the entry also includes pre-tournament festivities such as a lunch reception, pre-game instructional play for those who need some poker tips, and a silent and live auction. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to partake in the activities prior to the poker tournament. And those not wanting to play poker are still invited to watch the fun for a donation of $75. All proceeds will go to benefit 1736 Family Crisis Center.

Prizes for the poker tournament include first place prize money in the amount of $10,000 and an eco-friendly poker table by EGM Green for the second place finisher. There is also a World Series of Poker Boot camp package donated by Annie Duke, and other prizes to be announced.

Jason Alexander is the celebrity chairperson of the event and will take over hosting duties, and the special honoree of the day is Leyna Nguyen of KCAL/KCBS in Los Angeles for her devotion to the cause. Other celebrities expected to attend include Camryn Manheim, Cheryl Hines, Mimi Rogers, Daniel Baldwin, and Gina Hect. And actor, writer, and director Brian Herskowitz is planning to film a documentary at the event.

From the poker community, Dianna Donofrio-Trigatzi will be the guest celebrity tournament director, and players scheduled to attend include Greg Raymer, Jamie Gold, Karina and Chip Jett, Matt Savage, Barbara Enright, Marsha Waggoner, Ali Nejad, Max Shapiro, Scott Lazar, and Nancy Todd Tyner.

All of the May 9 festivities will benefit the 1736 Family Crisis Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the safety and lives of runaway and homeless youth, domestic violence victims and their children, and other people in need. The center was founded in 1972 as a single shelter for youth relegated to the streets, but the organization has grown to five shelters and four community centers throughout the city of Los Angeles. It also offers a 24-hour staffed crisis hotline for immediate counseling and referrals, along with various forms of community education, job training, advocacy programs, and research and policy efforts to aid the needy in the community.

To find more information on the organization, donate, or purchase tickets to the fundraiser, visit www.1736fcc.org .