Gila River Casino to host open event to the public during NBA All-Star week
CHANDLER, Ariz., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Legends of Basketball today confirmed that Basketball Legend Julius "Dr. J" Erving is participating in the Par and Poker Celebrity Challenge for Charity held during NBA All-Star week on February 13, 2009 in Chandler, Arizona. The inaugural NBA All-star tournament will have a bevy of hosts like Ozzie Smith, Michael Strahan and Clyde Drexler. The Par and Poker event consists of two parts: an 18-hole golf tournament at Whirlwind Golf Club and a No Limit Texas Hold'em poker tournament at Gila River Casino at Wild Horse Pass.
NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving and MLB Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith are among over 25 Class A celebrities who will play in a golf tournament setup with PGA tour-like conditions, caddies, leader board, and rules officials. Following the golf is a private Celebrity Banquet with charity spokesmen and awards. After that, a Texas Hold'em Poker tournament providing seats to the WSOP main event, with the money raised going to charity. The event is spectator friendly and FREE to attend. The public can play in the golf and poker tournaments. 480.736.2464
"To be part of this is very special," said Ozzie Smith. "Hopefully we can come back nine or ten years from now and talk about how successful it's been, how much money has been raised and how much good has come out of this."
The charity beneficiaries of this event are The Legends Cares Foundation and The Joyner-Walker Foundation, Incorporated. The Legends Cares Foundation supports charitable organizations and programs that promote positive growth within communities. Title Sponsor of Par & Poker, The Legends of Basketball, is comprised of NBA veterans that have given themselves to thousands of philanthropic activities like The Legends Cares Foundation.
About The Par and Poker Celebrity Challenge for Charity
The Par and Poker Celebrity Challenge for Charity is a Celebrity charity event that is free and open to the public. The objective of Par & Poker is to provide an atmosphere to promote awareness, raise money for charities and create a branding medium for sponsors. Professional athletes and stars from the world of entertainment, along with registered players will be competing for prizes, cash awards, and bragging rights. Celebrities, sponsors and players will also be able to show their poker wit in one of the finest poker tournaments that Arizona has to offer, granting seats to the World Series of Poker main event.
About The Joyner-Walker Foundation, Inc.
The Joyner-Walker Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing life skill programs to assist high school and college students in a way to prosper and be self-sufficient. Co-founders NFL Veteran and Super Champion Seth Joyner, Canadian PGA professional Andy Walker and marketer Leonard Walker established programs to help the youth and communities. The foundation's flagship program is financial literacy and consists of the necessities of money management that are not taught in general education, but combined with education, can lead to the road of prosperity and heightened self-esteem. This event will provide scholarships to the Gila River Community to enroll students in the financial literacy program.
www.parandpoker.com
www.joynerwalkerfoundation.org
