Hold’em or fold’em?

by Dean Cousino | Monore News

Volunteers at several south-county schools are using poker tournaments to raise funds for activities such as athletics, proms and classroom field trips. Parents, teachers and administrators at Mason, Summerfield and Whiteford already are using charity poker to raise thousands of dollars for their schools. Meanwhile, a proposal to raise funds through charity poker at Dundee Community Schools has been put on hold for the time being.

Mason Consolidated Schools was the first school to hold four Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournaments at the Dollar King in Temperance in February and March. The four-day event raised about $17,000 for the Hall of Fame wall and banquet projects at Mason High School, with enough money left over to earmark later. “We were the first ones to open the place,” Supt. David Drewyor said Monday. “It was very successful. We were hoping to raise $5,000 and we more than tripled that.” Since then, Mason volunteer groups have purchased four more millionnaire’s club licenses from the state and held more poker tournaments at the business, which draws patrons from mostly the Monroe, Temperance and Toledo areas, Mr. Drewyor said. “Most of them don’t want to drive to Detroit, so they come here,” said the superintendent, who has volunteered several times. “You see the same players all the time.”

He said the district is not promoting gambling in the district. The poker tournaments are an efficient means of raising money with few volunteers. The state license requires only two representatives from the school or nonprofit group to be at the event, which can last 10 to 12 hours and end about 1 or 2 a.m. So far, parent volunteers from the school’s football and softball teams, student council, middle school and the prom committee have worked at the events.

Charitable Services, a Grand Rapids firm, runs the Dollar King and provides most of the workers. The two representatives from the nonprofit groups take in money at the poker games while the other person handles the poker chips, Mr. Drewyor said. “They’ve been really easy to work with. We’ve had very little problems,” he said. The most recent charity tournament held in early August netted about $5,000 for the Mason freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes to split up, Mr. Drewyor said. “They raised enough to completely fund everything they need for the school year and the school year hasn’t even begun,” he said.

Dundee mulls getting involved

At a meeting last week, the Dundee board of education deadlocked 3-3 on starting a charity poker fundraiser. Any vote that ends in a tie means the motion is defeated.

President Brenda Rath, Treasurer Jim Scheich and Trustee Bob Greco supported the move while Secretary Karen Stull and trustees Gregg Keith and Tammy VanDaele were opposed. Vice President Ken Papenhagen did not attend the meeting. The board discussed the matter for about 35 minutes. The motion was to use any proceeds from the fundraiser to “promote the district enrollment in efforts to be approved by the board prior to implementation.” The funds would not be used for curriculum or to buy books, Supt. Bruce Nelson. Mr. Keith said before the vote he would like to survey the community to get more feedback from citizens.

The board rejected, in another tie vote, to conduct a survey or hold some other activity to gauge public support of a poker-based fundraiser. Mr. Keith supported that move, while Mr. Scheich voted no. Mr. Nelson recommended not to have poker as a fundraiser. He told the board he is “morally opposed to gambling.” I realize the state raises money through the lottery to pay for education, but that doesn’t mean I have to be in favor,” Mr. Nelson said last week. “Simply because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s moral. We send mixed messages when we say we (need) poker. Five years ago it was considered to be a vice. Today it’s acceptable.” He said if the board would approve charity poker, it would be up to a nonprofit organization in the district, such as a booster club, to provide workers for the poker games, not the district.

That organization would have to apply for a license from the state. It could apply for four to six licenses a year, with each license costing $200. The poker nights could net between $8,000 and $12,000 for the district, he said.

He said the proposal could still be brought back to the board again.

Summerfield, Whiteford hold tournaments

Summerfield Schools started a charity poker fundraiser last year to raise funds. Summerfield Supt. John S. Hewitt said the band boosters at Summerfield provided the workers for several Texas Hold ‘Em poker nights during the school year at a local golf course. The effort was considered a success. “It was pretty lucrative,” Mr. Hewitt said. “The boosters recruited volunteers and supplied the workers and shared the profits. It worked out pretty good.” He was not sure if the boosters were planning any more fundraising this year. He referred further inquiries to Deb Miller, a parent of a senior in the band. Ms. Miller could not be reached for comment.

A group of volunteers for Whiteford Schools held a poker fundraiser this week. The group has held four four-day Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments. Organizers make a profit of about $1,000 a night and hope to earn from $14,000 to $16,000 from the 16 days of tournaments, said Linda Groch, a parent and teacher at Whiteford. “It’s a better fundraiser than having a car wash or carnival as long as you can get the volunteers,” Ms. Groch said. “It takes a lot less planning and organizing.” The volunteers consist of parents, teachers and aides. The tournaments start at 4 p.m. on weekdays and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and can run until 2 a.m. the next day. The tournaments are held at the Dollar King off Lewis Ave. in Temperance.

Proceeds from the tournaments are split for different school programs — athletics, prom night and elementary classroom activities such as aquatic study field trips to Lake Erie. Ms. Groch is adviser for the junior class, which is using its share to prepare for the prom next spring.