Fraternity deals 'chips for charity'
May 4, 2007
Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity member Todd Jacks reacts as junior Blake Stark pitches a card forward during a Little Chips tournament on Wednesday at D.Rowe’s Restaurant. Every Wednesday, members of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity volunteer as dealers for the Little Chips tournaments, whose winners gain free entry to the Chips for Charity tournament on May 18.
Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity member Sam Reed watches the cards and chips at his poker table during a Little Chips tournament on Wednesday at D.Rowe’s Restaurant. All of the profits from the Little Chips and the ultimate Chips for Charity poker tournaments will go to Rainbow House, which offers temporary shelter for children in need.
For the second year in a row, members of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity are volunteering as poker dealers in a series of seven weekly "Little Chips" to profit the Rainbow House.
Winners gain free entry to the fourth annual Chips for Charity poker tournament.
All profits from the Chips for Charity tournament, whose entry fee is $500, and the Little Chips sessions will go to Rainbow House, an agency that offers temporary shelter for children in need, as well as other services.
Rainbow House Director of Development Ron Graves, who is also the fraternity's chapter adviser, first pitched the idea to Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity last year.
Since then, fraternity members have spent several hours in the back room of D.Rowe's Restaurant, dealing cards and chips to fellow students and Columbia professionals at miniature poker tournaments that Rainbow House executive director Jan Stock called "Little Chips."
"We jumped into it right away," fraternity President Brett Anwander said.
Anwander estimated that seven to 10 fraternity members volunteer each week but also noted that on Wednesday, the day of the fifth tournament in the Little Chips series, the numbers were lower than usual.
"Our banquet's tonight, so we're kind of short-staffed," he said.
The entry fee for Little Chips is $20, and each week, it brings in a variety of players who typically hail from the area near the restaurant.
"D.Rowe's is a popular place, and lots of these players are very familiar with the location," Stock said.
Graves said he hopes to match previous years' monetary gains from the combined profits of Little Chips and Chips for Charity.
"We hope to make about $18-20,000. That's what we made in the last three years," he said.
This year's turnout is better than last year's, Anwander said. He and Stock attributed the larger numbers in part to more Little Chips tournaments, as well as more consistency.
Anwander said last year, there were four Little Chips tournaments as opposed to this year's projected seven.
Additionally, the event was held in a different location every week last year, whereas D.Rowe's has provided a weekly opening for Little Chips this year.
"It's a lot to ask of somebody: 'We want to use this place one day a week for seven weeks, so you can't book anyone else,'" Stock said.
The winner from each week's Little Chips tournament gains free entry to the Chips for Charity tournament, the top seven Chips for Charity winners receive a prize and the top winner receives a poker table and chairs from Schmidt Billiards.
The tournament has slotted forty-nine openings for the Chips for Charity tournament, which will be held at Tiger Hotel on May 19.
But Stock said if interest exceeds those 49 openings, they will simply add tables.
Players include those who won free entry, as well as more recognizable names such as former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson, who has won a previous Chips for Charity tournament.
"A variety of people show up, people who are supporters of Rainbow House," said Rainbow House marketing director Emily Burnham.
Rainbow House, which is based in Columbia and serves nine surrounding counties, principally offers two services: crisis care and child advocacy. Crisis care helps families that have run into a crisis and whose children need temporary shelter.
A crisis can be any situation from physical abuse to the electricity's being shut off.
In their child advocacy program, Rainbow House staffers, instead of the police, interview children who have allegedly been abused.
"It's a great team effort with all the law enforcement," Graves said.
Graves also said 60 to 70 MU students volunteer at Rainbow House every semester.
By getting the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity involved in fundraising for the agency, Graves has added a new dimension of college students' contributions to Rainbow House.
"We haven't seen that many college players," Graves said.
He also said this is partially why he initiated the Little Chips tournament series, as Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity's involvement could bring in more college-age participants.
Graves said about 20 players come to Little Chips every week, bringing in about $400 per week.
But he said more would appreciated.
"It'd be great to have 50 people," Graves said. "I don't have enough poker chips, though."
City, State and Nation Editor Steve Oslica is a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
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