All-Star Basketball Charity Game

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By JohnPosted In: Charity ActivityTagged: , ,

There’s nothing like the excitement of attending a live basketball game with your favorite star athletes. What if you could attend a game while also supporting a great cause?

TJ Kidd, the son of Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, hosted the first annual Classic Celebrity All-Star Game at Santa Monica College (SMC) on August 20. The event benefited the HelpCureHD foundation.

Growing up with an NBA legend father, TJ Kidd attended many all-star basketball games. He had always dreamed of organizing his own one day – but with proceeds going toward charity. His childhood dream was realized this month when he collaborated with his friends, sports reporter Allie LaForce and her husband, MLB pitcher Joe Smith, to raise money for their foundation, HelpCureHD. The foundation provides grants for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) for those suffering from Huntington’s Disease. Joe Smith felt compelled to establish the charity after his mother was diagnosed with the hereditary brain disorder in 2012, along with over 30,000 others in the US alone who suffer from the disease.

The TJ Kidd Classic featured famed athletes, including WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder, four-time NBA Champion Jon Salley, three-time NBA Champion Bryon Scott, and many more celebrities. The game was thrilling, and both the players and spectators had loads of fun. After the game, TJ Kidd expressed his satisfaction with the turnout, and said he hoped to host the event again and to keep it at SMC.

Kimbra’s Guitar Being Auctioned at Banquet

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Kimbra-and-Gotye-at-2013-Grammys-GettyIf you love Kimbra and want a piece of her personal history, then watch for the Hospice Waikato’s Montana Catering Bucket List Banquet coming next month. Grammy award winner and Hamilton-born Kimbra has donated the guitar that helped her get to where she is today.

The Fender electric guitar was purchased in 2002, but Kimbra’s parents, and it was her first serious guitar. It cost $900 at the time of purchase.

Now, it’s going to be auctioned off at the fundraising dinner that Waikato Hospice is having next month. As their chief executive, Craig Tamblyn, said, the guitar should bring in big money. Someone has already placed a bid for $500 when they heard that it had belonged to Kimbra.

Win a Dinner with Ian Somerhalder

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Some lucky person is soon going to be lunching with actor Ian Somerhalder. He just closed an auction as part of the charity appeal he’s created for his animal sanctuary. As part of his Ian Somerhalder Foundation, the rescue center helps abused animals, works on environmental issues and more.

As it describes at the website for the Ian Somerhalder Foundation,

“The global problems and challenges we are facing are infinitely interconnected and co-dependent, therefore our solutions and actions must be enacted in an interconnected manner. There are numerous causes, many campaigns and organizations aiming to encourage change, which includes ending deforestation, planting trees, eliminating pesticides and healing our planet. How many of these organizations or campaigns team up to become a united spirit of change?”

The auction at CharityBuzz.com ran until July 18th. Now, some lucky person will be able to have lunch in Atlanta, Georgia with the Vampire Diaries heart-throb.

As Somerhalder explained his motivation for the project, “There are too many animals that are abused, mistreated, and abandoned. They’ve been ostracised, they have behavioural issues, and they’re starving. It’s just unbelievable what we’ve done to the animals, and I think that’s why this is so important. I appreciate you and your generosity. I will try not to bore you to tears…”

“If we can give animals a home, we can also take the youth of our country and our world – kids who have behavioral issues, bullying other kids, and halting the progression of those around them – and bring them together to learn compassion from one another. If you have compassion for an animal, then you’ll ultimately have compassion for another human being.”

No-Limit Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament for a Great Cause in Vegas

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Things are heating up in Las Vegas at the moment (aren’t they always?) for a good cause. The World Series of Poker taking place right now includes a no-limit Texas hold ‘em tournament that will last until Tuesday. The tournament has, to date, raised $5.5 million for One Drop, a Montreal charity that supports clean drinking water.

The tournament requires a $1 million buy-in and grew out of a conversation that Guy Laliberte, the founder of One Drop, and Mitch Garber, the chief executive of Caesars Interactive Entertainment had.

Many heavy-hitters are taking part in the tournament, including hedge fund manager David Einhorn. He has staked $1 million of his own money on the charity tournament, which will be awarding $18.3 million to the winner.

Mr. Einhorn’s goal is to donate any proceeds that he wins towards City Year, a Boston-based organization that works with public schools to prevent dropouts.

Other entrants at the tournament from the investment realm include Daniel Shak of SHK Asset Management and Chamath Palihapitiva, a venture capitalist. Last year, Mr. Einhorn lasted until day two of the tournament; in 2006 he managed to finish in 18th place and to earn $600,000 for a charitable cause. As a spokesman for Mr. Einhorn, Jonathan Doorley, said, “David believes that to solve the education crisis, public schools have to succeed through creative and proven initiatives. City Year is at the forefront of making needed improvements within the education system.”

Huge Success with Coney Island Coasterthon

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Now here’s an interesting idea for charity. Central Amusement International, Luna Park’s parent company, hosted its first “Coasterthon” that awarded $24,000 to the charity of the person who could ride the Cyclone the longest.

Celebrating the Cyclone’s 85th anniversary a bit early, they welcomed nine nonprofit organizations to bring contestants for a chance to raise money and to have fun. Each charity was given one row on the Cyclone, and for every cycle the team completed the sponsors would donate a set amount towards the charity.  And, of course, Central Amusement International announced the grand prize of $24,000 for the group that stayed on the longest.

Valerio Ferrari, president of CAI, stated “We are thrilled to commemorate the incredible 85 years of the Cyclone with all of these wonderful charities who give back to the community every day.  The park confirmed that the nine participating organizations include: You gotta believe, Alzheimer Association, Special Olympics NYC, New York Cares, Sean Casey Animal Rescue, American Cancer Society, Give Kids the World, Wildlife Conservation, and Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP).”

The Cyclone, which opened in 1927, has been mimicked throughout the world with six exact replicas. The Cyclone on Coney Island includes an 85th foot tall hill with a 45 degree incline and speeds of 60mph.

It turned out to be a hearty group riding the roller coaster on Saturday, June 9th, as eight teams rode the same number of laps – 134.  The eight will end up splitting the $24,000 prize.  The winning charities included Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society Relay For Life, Give Kids The World Village, New York Cares, New York Aquarium, Sean Casey Animal Rescue, You Gotta Believe, and Youth Service Opportunities Project.