Athletes, entertainers and community leaders are among the folks taking part in a charity poker tournament at Starlight Casino.
In celebration of the opening of its brand new poker room at the Starlight Casino in New Westminster, Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Limited held its first charity poker tournament last year. To celebrate a successful first year, Starlight said local leaders and changemakers will play poker in support of their charity of choice at a Thursday, Oct. 24 charity poker tournament hosted by Mayor Patrick Johnstone.
"We're excited to celebrate one year of poker at Starlight Casino with the Mayor's second annual charity poker night,” Saad Fadl-Alla, general manager of Starlight Casino, said in a news release. “Poker has grown tremendously here. … Our guests are loving the experience, and it's been a fantastic first year."
Casino guests are invited to come and watch the action unfold from the sidelines. The seven-table poker room is located right off the main casino floor.
Joining Johnstone “for a game of skill, strategy and luck” are: Coun. Ruby Campbell; Dylan Kruger, a councillor in Delta; Chief Wayne Sparrow of the Musqueam Indian Band; Matt Jarvis, a former professional poker player; Steve Deakin, a Canadian pickleball player; Stefan Flintoft, a BC Lions Football Club player; Joshua Archibald, a BC Lions Football Club player; Chris Sabat, an account executive with the BC Lions Football Club; Adam Schwartz, DAT Poker Podcast with Terrence Chan and Daniel Negreanu; Aaron Douglas, a Canadian actor; Gary Mangat, an MMA fighter; Mike Cameron, a member of New Westminster Fire and Rescue Services; Mandy Wong of the Heart and Stroke Foundation; and Trevor Graugaard of The Tanning Studio.
Three of this year’s players took top spots in last year’s poker tournament. Cameron donated is first-prize winnings of $1,500 to the New Westminster Firefighters’ Charitable Society, Deakin donated his second-place winnings of $1,000 to Last Door Recovery, and Jarvis donate his $500 to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
The charity poker tournament is on Thursday, Oct. 24 at Starlight Casino New Westminster, 350 Gifford St. The red carpet and meet-and-greet event at the Red Bar begin at 5:30 p.m. and the charity poker tournament starts at 6:30 p.m.
