Disastrous Haiti Quake Pulls Poker Players Together to Rally for Aid
The tragic earthquake that rolled through the Caribbean nation of Haiti sent rippled around the globe, triggering many to want to do something to help out the victims whose homeland was almost totally laid to waste. However, it was not only governments and charities that leapt up to send aid as fast as possible, it was also poker players from around the globe who united over digital mediums such as Twitter in order to prod public support for the victims. The island country became a focal point for many pro level players who leveraged their star power to raise awareness of the Haitian people and to ask their fans and competitors to donate to the cause, even donating themselves and taking part in ‘dummy tournaments’ to help raise money via massively popular online poker sites that they regularly patronize. Poker luminaries Howard Lederer and JC Alvarado were two such examples, each of them using their favorite sites to help pitch in. Many big online casinos also promised to match donations, creating a big cash pool to give to charities that could directly assist the Haitian victims.
In an already impoverished nation, the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised so quickly are going to go a long way towards bringing the country back to a level that allows it to take care of its citizenry. Aid groups have praised the players, crossing religious and social boundaries to congratulate the poker community on standing up for people in need and contributing valuable monetary contributions to the international relief efforts.