La Costa CA— The La Costa 35 Athletic Club, a local nonprofit organization, hosted its 6th Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament on November 12, benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad.
The LC35 Athletic Club was formed in 1984 to promote friendly competition, good sportsmanship, and a social outlet for its members – Carlsbad residents aged 35 and older.
Begun in 2011 as a way to give back to the community, the first poker tournament was held at the then under construction Bressi Ranch Boys & Girls Clubhouse. The event sold out the past several years, so organizers moved it to the Rancho Santa Fe Motor Club and Storage – which boasts 28,000 feet of warehouse space along with an incredible array of exotic and classic cars. Since its inception, the event has tripled in attendance and raised over $185,000.
“The move to Rancho Santa Fe Motor Club with catering from Bushfire Kitchen and Major Events added to the atmosphere. And professional poker player and TV personality Maria Ho made the event even more unique and entertaining,” said Tournament Director Rob Holzman. “There were 26 poker tables, nearly 250 players, and net proceeds of over $55,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad – an all-time record!”

Title Sponsor for the 5^th year was Christian Credit Counselors. Gold Sponsors included A.O. Reed, Cox Business, Crestview Capital Advisors, the Manhole Poker League, Morrison Insurance, State Farm Insurance (Mike Giblin), Trinity Homes (Wes Besemer), Synergy One Lending, and Whiting-Turner. Adding to the atmosphere were large TVs broadcasting the blinds as well as football games, courtesy of Digitainment/Home AV TV Design (La Costa) and Infinite Satellite. HRE Performance Wheels donated the top auction prize of the evening – a set of four custom forged wheels.
With play going on well into the night, Ernie Oar was awarded the coveted Winner’s Bracelet.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad has played an integral role in the Carlsbad community since 1952, providing programs and services to thousands of young people. Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad invites you to tour their Clubhouse, and see how lives are changed on a daily basis. The organization is 100% funded by local donors. For more information, call (760) 729-0207, email info@bgccarlsbad.org, or visit www.bgccarlsbad.org.