PokerStars $20,000 tournament to raise funds for Irma relief

PokerStars is hosting a tournament at the Seminole Hardrock Hotel in Florida to raise funds for those affected by the devastating Hurricane Irma.

The event will kick off on October 3 at the casino in Fort Lauderdale, with several Team PokerStars Pros attending and more than $50,000 in prizes on offer.

The event, featuring live music, fancy drinks and delicious snacks, starts at 6 pm, with a silent auction to get guests into the mood with the chance to win vacation and hotel packages, memorabilia and a share of more than $10,000 in cash.

Participating poker players can show off their poker strategy in the $20,000 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure at 7 pm while raising funds for Feeding South Florida.

The $300 buy-in goes to The Feeding South Florida food bank, which has been working overtime to help the most vulnerable people affected by the Hurricane that wiped out Caribbean islands including Barbuda and caused significant damage to Florida.

Re-entries are also available to purchase, which players can use if eliminated in the first two hours of play.

Registration will take place on the night of the event, where there will also be more than $15,000 in tournament entries to a range of Seminole Hard Rock Poker events on offer.

PokerStars is matching the tournament donation total up to $100,000 to further assist Feeding South Florida’s distribution efforts, ensuring supplies get to those in need.

Head of Corporate Giving at the Stars Group, Sue Hammett, said that “PokerStars [is] proud to support the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in their fundraising tournament in aid of Feeding South Florida.”

“We all witnessed the impact and destruction which swept across the Caribbean and Southern Florida, and we hope our support of this event will help with the recovery process for those who have been affected,” she said.

She encourages people to join the event alongside Team PokerStars Pros, Jeff Gross and Jennifer Shahade, as well as Jason Mercier who is a South Florida local.

Additionally, members of the PokerStars Hollywood office who have been directly affected by Irma will be present.

Vice president of community affairs and special events at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Susan Renneisen, said the company is “proud to partner with Feeding South Florida and PokerStars to be part of this hurricane relief initiative.”

“It’s upsetting to see the damage that so many families have endured during this storm season,” she said.

“We encourage everyone in the community to help however they can.

“Every bit helps, and we are glad to be able to do our part.”

For those who can’t make the event and still want to help out, you can make a donation via the Red Cross website or find a charity by doing a simple Google Search.

And for those who can’t access PokerStars from your location, you can play poker tournaments at Ignition Poker and Intertops Poker.