Non-Profit Profile:

Garden City Firefighters host Charity Poker at Garden Lanes

The department is staffed by career firefighter-paramedics who are cross-trained to provide both fire and EMS services. The firefighters of Garden City help people both on and off the job, raising funds for MDA, the Cancer Society, High School Scholarships and many local causes. This year, they have added Texas Hold'em to the calendar.

October 2-4 the volunteers for IAFF 1911 were selling poker chips at Garden Lanes raising money for new equipment, firestation furnishings, the firefighters legal fund, local fire victims and local needy families. This was the firefighters first Texas Hold'em fundraiser. During their annual MDA Bowl-a-thon at Garden Lanes, they found out about doing a poker fundraiser and decided to give it a try.

"It can be tough getting volunteers for fundraisers and keep adequate coverage for the firehouse," reported Randy Keem. The Garden City Fire Station has eighteen firefighters. Because charity poker events only require two volunteers at a time, this was a great fit for the fire department.

The charity volunteers sell tournament entries and poker chips for cash games. A ledger of the cash taken in and chips sold must be maintained in real time throughout the night. At the end of each night, the chips are cashed in by players, and all the books balanced.

Charities make money in two ways: 20% of the tournament entries, plus each cash game pot is "raked", 10% up to $6. (The rake is taken from each cash game pot before it is awarded to the winner of the pot.) UMichiganpoker.com visited the firefighters on their second night at Garden Lanes. From the number of tournament players, and packed cash games, this looked like it would be a profitable fundraiser for the firefighters!

Here is a partial list of the other fundraisers the Garden City Firefighters host each year:

• Halloween Party for the American Cancer Society
• Annual Golf Outing benefits local charities including two scholarships at Garden City High School, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and victims of Garden City house fires in need of assistance.
• MDA Fill the Boot Campaign
• MDA Bowl-a-thon at Garden Lanes