Last year, Jamie Gold and Dean Cain hosted Operation All In. This year, Jamie and Dean are participating in the poker benefit, which was held January 12, 2008 and was hosted by Randy Couture. Operation All In is a poker tournament benefit that raises money and awareness for the wounded soldiers and their families. I guess that means Dean Cain does more than allow people to stick him in the arm with a needle.
The tournament is a $550 buy-in no-limit Texas Hold’em poker game. The benefit also had a silent auction and live DJ for the public’s entertainment. Part of the funds are also going to the Xtreme Couture GI Foundation, which is run by Randy Couture and his wife, Kim. Just as Angelina Jolie showed her support for the troops with a flower, Randy and Kim show it through their foundation.
The foundation helps raise money to help soldiers (and their families) in the midst of financial difficulties, medical aid and it also helps them readjust to civilian life. For anyone who knows a soldier, you know how difficult that last part is - readjustment - and how important it is that there are others who understand that and help them with that all-important aspect of defending their country: coming home.
On Saturday, 123 poker players showed up to support the event, the foundation, and the soldiers. Some of the players were celebrities, like Dean Cain and others were poker pros. Some of the other players include Montel Williams, Phil Gordon, Hoyt Corkins and Kirk Morrison. The Tournament director, Steve Cyr, explained, “Poker is the most universal game among charity supporters today. It’s an easy game to teach, learn and play. People come out to support these kinds of events because poker is so popular right now, and players can relax and enjoy the event without any pressure.”
The live auction portion of the event also brought in a good amount of money, with Houston Kurtis paying $10,000 to spend an evening with Randy and Kim Couture. Altogether, the foundation raised $90,000 on Saturday. And, both the first place poker winner, James Scott, and fourth-place winner, Phil Gordon, donated their $20,000 and $4,000 back to the Foundation.
Randy said, “We support our troops while they are out of the country fighting, but they are often forgotten when they return home.” Donations are still coming in, and to learn more about The Xtreme Couture GI Foundation or make a donation and learn about their needs, you can visit their website.
Phil Gordon placed 3rd not fourth.