More than 100 kids win big at charity poker tournament

Friday night's Make a Child Smile charity Texas hold 'em championship saw 55 competitors and raised over $5,000. After expenses, that's enough to provide clothes, shoes, toys other items for over 100 kids.

As the pool of players slowly dwindled at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Make a Child Smile volunteers passed the time by swapping stories of overjoyed children and parents and of the moments that they decided to get involved in the organization and make a difference in the lives of children.

The end of the tournament came almost eight hours after it started when Conway's George Flowers, holding Ace-10, went all in heads-up against Sean Barber. The flop was 2-K-3, which didn't seem to impress Flowers much, but with a Jack on the turn and a Queen on the river he made his straight, Ace-high, putting Barber out of the tournament in style.

"It's just luck," Flowers said. "That's the epitome of this game."

Flowers went on to add that he's been playing for over 40 years, and for most of those years he's been lucky.

"I think Make a Child Smile is a super organization," he said. "Anything that helps kids I'm all for. That's the future of this country."

Linda Clanton finished third after nursing a meager stack of chips through some choppy waters and refusing to be put out as the chip leaders butted heads. A miracle diamond straight saved her from finishing fourth, but badly short-stacked, she couldn't find such luck again.

Conway's Noah Sitton was a little off-put after his pocket Kings were beaten by pocket Aces and he went out of the tournament in about 25th place.

"You can go a whole tournament and not see that happen to anybody," he said. "But it's all for the kids.

"If I'm heads-up against the kids, I want the kids to win," Sitton said.

Tracy Stocks, President of Make a Child Smile of Central Arkansas Inc., said that the organization has tried several kinds of fundraisers over the years with mixed results, but with the hold 'em tournament, it's found a winner.

It works so well to raise money to provide local children with "the basic necessities and simple pleasures of life," she said, that another one is planned for Oct. 11. For more information, contact Stocks at tstocks@makeachildsmile.net or go to www.makeachildsmile.net.

Sponsors for the event included Michelangelo's, Mike's Place, Jay Bernard Insurance, Parker Energy Services, ReMax of Conway, Conway Title and Escrow, Wal-Mart, Manion Avra Agency, Stocks Mortgage Inc., First State Bank, Southern Tees, Affordable Bail Bonds, Sody's Liquor Store, Angela's Cheesecakes, Popeye's Chicken, The Waffle House and Superior Tool Sales.

(Staff writer Joe Lamb can be reached by e-mail at joe.lamb@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1238. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)