Carlsbad CA—The La Costa 35 Athletic Club, a local nonprofit organization, hosted its 8th Annual Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament on November 10, 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. Since its inception, the event has nearly tripled in attendance and raised over $300,000.

“Padres Pitcher Heath Bell was our special guest host this year, and he added a new dimension to the event,” said Tournament Director Rob Holzman. “There were 22 poker tables, over 200 players, and an all time record of $60,000 in net proceeds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad!”
Title Sponsors were Accordance Search Group and Christian Credit Counselors. Gold Sponsors included A.O. Reed, Cox Business, Crestview Capital Advisors, the Grauer School, the Manhole Poker League, Morrison Insurance, and Watch the Review. California Pacific Airlines, which recently made its inaugural flights out of Palomar Airport, generously provided round trip tickets to Vegas for all sponsors.
Adding to the atmosphere was gourmet catering from Major Events & Catering, a generous donation by HRE Performance Wheels for a full set of custom wheels which was auctioned off to the highest bidder, and large screen TVs broadcasting the blinds as well as football games, courtesy of Home AV-TV and Digitainment.
With play going on well into the night, Kirk Miller was awarded the coveted Winners Bracelet and selected one week in Maui as his prize.
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.