More than a dozen celebrities, athletes and poker pros will appear and are expected to join former UNLV Rebel Shawn Marion to raise public awareness and funds to support single moms, at the 1st annual Shawn Marion Foundation Celebrity Poker tournament. Founded by NBA All-Star Shawn Marion in 2008, the Shawn Marion Foundation Celebrity Poker tournament will begin at 12 p.m. July 24th at the Palms Casino Resort.
"It is exciting to bring the world of poker and entertainment together while raising awareness to help single parents," said All-Star Shawn Marion. “I know what it feels like to have nothing. My mom is a wonderful and strong woman who worked two jobs for a long time to put food on the table to feed us and my mission is to help other single parents in the same predicament.”
Among those confirmed to participate, subject to availability, are Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat), Mekhi Phifer (Fox’s Lie To Me), Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), Lance Gross (TBS Tyler Perry’s House of Payne), Shanna Moakler (MTV’s Meet The Barker’s), Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends), Natasha Alam (HBO’s True Blood), Claudia Jordan (NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice), Bob Guiney (The Bachelor), Brian White (Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself), Denyce Lawton (TBS Tyler Perry’s House of Payne), Elise Neal (Love Ranch), with many more expressing their interest to play. Also playing, subject to availability, will be poker professionals Annie Duke (NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice), David Williams (WPT 2010 Champion), Tiffany Michelle (CBS’s Amazing Race), Trishelle Cannatella (MTV’s The Real World), Maria Ho (CBS’s Amazing Race), Joe Reitman and many others.
The tournament will feature a fast-paced structure designed to complete the competition within five hours. Seating for the tournament is limited. Players will be playing for prizes totaling $25,000 in promotional chips donated by The Palms Casino Resort. Entries for the tournament are $250 per player with all proceeds going to The Shawn Marion Foundation and scholarships for UNLV single parents. For more information or to reserve a seat, go to www.shawnmarionfoundation.org or www.matrix31.com.
Shawn Marion established The Shawn Marion Foundation at The Giving Back Fund to provide life-changing opportunities and experiences to single parent families. The Foundation provides college-scholarships to single parent mothers to help break the cycle of low paying jobs and limited opportunities. The Shawn Marion Foundation also distributes grants to charities in the Dallas, Las Vegas, and Chicago areas who are providing needed services to single parent families. For more information, log onto www.shawnmarionfoundation.org or www.matrix31.com.
