New Presenting Sponsor AirTab® Leads Effort to Raise Money For Local Kids
at Annual Poker Tournament Hosted at the Paramount Studios Lot
LOS ANGELES July 13, 2015 – Variety, The Children’s Charity of Southern California (www.varietysocal.org ) , which provides health, education and mobility support to kids and organizations throughout Southern California, announced today that Airtab® will serve as the presenting sponsor for the 5th Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament and Casino Night on Wednesday, July 22. AirTab®, the mobile gifting app that is changing the way people send gifts with the tap of a finger, leads a long list of sponsors, celebrities, and top movie studio execs who have teamed up on behalf of Variety, which last year alone donated more than $740,000 to individuals and organizations, including adaptive bikes for children with cerebral palsy, camps for kids battling life threatening illnesses and college scholarships for at-risk youth. Now in its fifth year, the poker tournament has raised over $500,000, and more than 300 guests are expected at this year’s event, which will once again be hosted at the Paramount Studios Lot.
JAMIE GOLD, World Series of Poker Main Event Champion (also known as “The Poker Philanthropist”) has helped raise over 300 million dollars for causes worldwide and will be returning to host and emcee this event headlining the participants, which currently also include Ryan Cabrera, Dean Cain, Bill Chott, Roger Cross, Brandi Garcia, Carl Gottlieb, Dennis Haskins, Maria Ho, James Hong, Gabriel Jarret, Doug Jones, Phillip Keene, Katrina Law, Vanessa Marcil, AJ McLean , Tiffany Michelle, Shanna Mokler, Don Most, Oscar Nunez, Nyambi Nyambi, Tito Ortiz, Mekhi Phifer and Carl Weathers. Guests will be able to enjoy an exciting evening of poker, casino games, raffle prizes, dinner and cocktails, on a world-famous Hollywood movie studio lot all in for a fabulous cause.
“I’m proud to be a Celebrity Ambassador for AirTab. This new mobile app does more than allow you to gift or receive drinks. It also gives you a chance to make a difference in your community and support great charities like Variety, Airtab donates every time you use it,” said Jamie Gold.
Long considered “The Heart of Show Business,” Variety found its roots in the entertainment industry when on Christmas Eve, in 1928, a baby girl was found abandoned on the seat of a movie theatre in Pittsburgh. The “Variety Club,” a newly formed social organization founded by 11 men affiliated with the entertainment industry, agreed to financially underwrite the child’s support and education. Since that time, the organization has grown to 43 chapters in 13 countries, raising over $1.8 billion for children in need.
“The Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament is always a memorable and rewarding opportunity for us to bring members of the industry together to raise funds for education, healthcare and mobility programs for children with special needs,” said Branden D. Miller, President of the Board of Directors, Variety of Southern California”.
Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California, was founded in 1941 to provide life-saving and life-enriching assistance to local children with special needs. Education Grants provide underprivileged children and at-risk youth the programs necessary to pursue their education and dreams and overcome the barriers of poverty, poor performing schools and high levels of unemployment. Health Care Grants support early intervention programs for kids with learning disabilities; medical care and therapy for children who are victims of abuse and neglect, and Variety sends hundreds of kids battling life-threatening illnesses to camp – to give them a break from the pain and chaos of treatments. The Mobility Program provides children with disabilities confidence, freedom and much-needed therapeutic exercise by providing specially-designed adaptive bikes and therapeutic strollers. The Variety Boys & Girls Club of Boyle Heights is thriving and is serving more kids than ever with leadership development programs, tutoring and mentoring, recreation, sports and aquatics programs, arts and crafts, a computer learning center and library, social recreation and college scholarships
To learn more, visit www.varietysocal.org.
Ginger Chan
Allied Integrated Marketing
gchan@alliedim.com
Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California
4601 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 260
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Tel.: (323) 655-1547
Fax: (323) 658-8789
elizabeth@varietysocal.org