Celebrities don’t have to be a poker pros to get attention playing it. Some go a step or two further and have people come to them, such as the case of Eva Longoria-Parker, one of the Desperate Housewives cast, together with her San Antonio Spurs point guard husband Tony Parker and their night of charity poker.
The charity named Evas Heroes,- celebrated the Parkers’ First Annual Tony and Eva Parker Celebrity Casino Night. Evas Heroes is an organization that seeks to benefit children with developmental challenges and young adults with special needs.
The Tony and Eva Parker Celebrity Casino Night took placed August 9 last year at Pedrottis North Wind Ranch in San Antonio, Texas, with a buy-in of $300. They gave the players a 10,000 in starting chips, and $100 additional rebuys for 5,000 in chips available throughout the first hour once players dip below 5,000.
with other casino games that ran during the tournament, including blackjack, roulette, craps, slot machines, and a money wheel.
The evening included a dinner and silent auction, each of the dozen celebrities in attendance played in the tournament including the Parkers, Jennifer Morrison of the television show House, Adam Rodriguez of CSI: Miami, David Zayas of Dexter, Ricardo Antonio Chavira of Desperate Housewives, Leeann Tweeden of NBC’s Poker After Dark and current and former Spurs’ Tim Duncan and Sean Elliott among others.
The tournament drew a capacity crowd of 280 players spread throughout 28 tables in the banquet-size playing area. Some of the prizes for the players fortunate enough to make the final table included signed Tony Parker basketball jerseys, plasma-screen television sets and a seat at the 2009 Main Event of the World Series of Poker.
Ultimate Bet is collaborating with the First Annual Tony and Eva Parker Celebrity Casino Night benefiting charity organization “Eva’s Heroes.” Completed with a poker tournament which will be emceed by 11-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth Jr.
“I’m incredibly excited that the popularity of poker is able to help such an important cause and I’m unbelievably honored to be associated with this charity.” Phil Hellmuth said.
To help raise additional money for Evas Heroes, UltimateBet has also donated an Aruba Poker Classic prize package to the casino nights live auction. The prize package includes a seat in this years Main Event plus a head-to-head poker game and a lesson with Phil Hellmuth in his personal suite in Aruba. The 2008 Aruba Poker Classic gets underway on September 27th and several celebrities have already confirmed their attendance including actor Don Cheadle and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian.
Eva Longoria established Evas Heroes after watching her sister grow up with an intellectual disability:
She has given me so much inspiration and hope to face everyday with the strength and courage she has had her whole life. She has never seen herself with a disability and only sees the good in everyone and everything. Longoria stated.
The Eva’s heroes is an organization dedicated in enriching those with develeopmental challenges by providing an inclusive interactions, grow and love.