Union goes 'All In' with Tulalip charity poker tournament

TULALIP – The second annual All in for Guide Dogs Hold ‘em Tournament is a sure bet for both fun and fundraising.

The poker tournament will be from 3-7 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Tulalip Resort Casino, 10200 Quil Ceda Blvd. The tournament is sponsored by Machinists Union Local Lodge 751-C and is a fundraiser for Guide Dogs of America.

Local 751-C sponsored the tournament for the first time last year, and raised $9,000 for the charity.

“Our first tournament was a big success, so we decided to do it again, and to add more players this time,” said Ron Coen, who is Local 751-C’s president.

There is a $100 entry fee, with a limit of 120 entries – which is 20 more than last year. Lessons will be offered before tournament play starts. The top finishers will split a final table payout of $3,500.

Information about the tournament, including where to go for entry forms, is available by calling the Machinists’ Everett Union Hall, (425) 355-8821.

The money raised at the poker tournament will benefit Guide Dogs of America, a California-based charity that provides trained guide dogs to people who are blind or have impaired vision from across North America.

Local 751-C is affiliated with Machinists Union District Lodge 751, which is the top fundraiser for Guide Dogs of America. Over the past four years, the union has raised more than $1 million for the charity, including a record $299,000 collected in 2012.

Originally formed in 1935 to represent hourly workers at the Boeing Co., District Lodge 751 of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers now represents nearly 34,000 working men and women at 48 employers across Washington, Oregon and California.

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