Machinists Union Poker Tournament Raises $9,000 for Charity

TULALIP – Machinists Union Local Lodge 751-C’s first-ever “All in For Guide Dogs” Texas Hold ‘Em tournament was a good deal, participants said.

“It was a great time,” said Local 751-C President Ron Coen. “The casino did a great job for us.”

The event, held at Tulalip Resort Casino near Marysville, raised more than $9,000 for Guide Dogs of America, a California-based charity that provides service dogs to people across North America who are blind or have impaired vision.

A full field of 100 players took part in the tournament, which in the end was won by Joey Fischer, a Machinists Union member who works for the Boeing Co. in Auburn.

Coen thanked all the sponsors and participants, as well as managers at the casino.

“We had a lot of fun and raised money for a great cause,” he said. “We’re looking forward to doing it again.”

Local 751-C is one of four Machinists Union locals in the Seattle area affiliated with Machinists Union District Lodge 751. As a group, District 751 was the top fundraiser for Guide Dogs of America in 2011, collecting more than $263,000.

Originally formed in 1935 to represent hourly workers at Boeing, District Lodge 751 of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers now represents some 32,000 working men and women at 48 employers across Washington, Oregon and California. In 2011, members of the union’s Machinists Volunteer Program donated more than 10,000 hours to community service work, while other volunteers raised more than $263,000 for Guide Dogs of America, the union’s charity of choice.

For more information about District 751, read the Machinists News.