I’m sitting at my computer thinking about how much I enjoyed the holidays. On Christmas Day, I cooked a big dinner for 22 of my closest friends. My good friend Rita Axel made the turkey and stuffing (yummy!) and I made the appetizers, salad, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, lamb, and ham. After dinner, we played trivia and sat around telling tales from our favorite moments from 2008.
I had too many wonderful moments to narrow it down to one thing. At the top of my list was having my mom, sister, and brother join me on a Card Player Cruises poker vacation to Alaska. I get to spend a lot of time with my mom and brother, but my sister Diana can’t usually join us because she is handicapped and it is hard for her to travel. Therefore, having the whole family together was a treat. We also were together one other time in 2008, my induction into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame, which was another very special occasion.
My other favorite poker moments involved participating in charity fundraising events. In February, I was honored to be a part of a poker tournament dedicated to the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Mike and Karen Sexton, Kenna James, Marsha Waggoner, Jan Fisher, and I left Las Vegas at 10:30 at night and arrived in Washington D.C. early the next morning. Of course, a poker game broke out along the way between Kenna James and me. The way it came about was rather funny. I asked Kenna if he would play Chinese Poker and he said he would as long as he also could pick a game to play since he knows that Chinese Poker is one of my best games. I asked him what he wanted to play. After some thought, he picked Razz, having forgotten that Razz is the game in which I won my World Series of Poker bracelet! I ended up offering the pilot a bribe to circle a while before landing…
Upon arrival, we were taken to the Marriott to sleep for a few hours before the event. At 5:30 p.m., we convened in one of the conference rooms and had a quick poker question and answer seminar with some of the veterans in attendance. It was very moving to speak with these brave men and women who had lost limbs and been paralyzed fighting for our country. They were not bitter and although most were in wheelchairs, they did not complain about their fate. In fact, many said that being paralyzed had opened up avenues that they would never have otherwise been able to experience. These men and women are definitely heroes and role models. After the seminar, there were some mock poker games while the pros gave some instruction.
A silent auction was held during dinner and then the tournament started with about 10 tables. Rebuys were allowed during the first hour. When one of the paralyzed vets busted out at my table, the businessman sitting next to me reached into his own wallet and paid for the vet’s $500 rebuy, an extremely generous gesture. Everyone had fun and the charity made a lot of money that night. After busting out, a local military colonel took me on a night tour of Washington D.C.’s monuments, another highlight for me. We headed for the airport about 5:00 a.m. and flew right back to Las Vegas, but that 36-hour whirlwind trip will stay in my memory bank forever.
Also in February was the Fallen Heroes charity event at the Bicycle Casino. You can probably tell by now that service people are my heroes, whether it is military, fire, police, school teachers, or others. Fallen Heroes is a charity that raises money for fire fighters, police, and other service people who are injured or killed in the line of duty. Denny Williams, the Tournament Director, got into the spirit of the event by making a ruling that in lieu of anyone using profanity having to sit out a round, the offender would have to pay $10 to the charity. Many service people, even non poker players, came to participate. A good time was had by all, as we raised a record amount of money.
Another of my favorite fundraisers is an organization called Mickey’s Camp. For the second consecutive year, Jan Fisher and I were the poker teachers and tournament directors for this worthwhile charity that has raised more than $1 million and distributed the funds to other charities. The brainchild of businessman and philanthropist Mickey Maurer, Mickey’s Camp is a summer camp for adults who pay $1,500 each to participate for three days in activities including kayaking, bridge, backgammon, hiking, self-defense, cooking, massage, art appreciation, and more. Participants actually roast marshmallows around a campfire and sleep in bunk beds in actual cabins. There is a poker tournament one evening that is quite unlike any you have ever seen since 90% of the participants are not poker players. This year, we got to teach both the men’s and women’s camps and really enjoyed the entire experience.
I have been so blessed in my life and love the ability to give back through various fundraisers. In 2009, I hope to participate in many more of these events. Life is good!