Humanitarian Creates Dream Team: An Interview

Posted on January 25, 2012 by Delinda

“They are a population that has lost everything, and even hope is starting to fade. Darfur United gives them a sense of being part of something greater than being what they are now labeled: a refugee.” ~i-ACT Founder/Director Gabriel Stauring

Since 2005, the Founder and Director of i-ACT, Gabriel Stauring has visited Darfur 11 times, namely-the refugee camps along the Chad/Sudan border. The non-profit’s volunteer arm, Stop Genocide Now, has garnered international attention and now, i-ACT is essentially creating a soccer team made up of the best players from the refugee camps along the border.

The team is called Darfur United.

In addition to his numerous visits to Darfur, Stauring has spearheaded campaigns such as the 100-Day Fast for Darfur, Darfur Freedom Summer Vigils, Camp Darfur, Darfur Fast for Life, and is featured in ‘The Enough Moment’ by John Prendergast and Don Cheadle.

Athlebrities was thrilled to interview this amazing man about issues related to Darfur, the refugees in that area, how the beautiful game can change lives, and what we can do to help. I opted to run the interview, unedited, in its entirety because, quite frankly, every word is important. Continue reading →

Ante Up For Africa and The Enough Project

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Delinda

Ante Up For Africa and The Enough Project

Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Herschel Walker, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Sarah Silverman, Jason Alexander, Cedric the Entertainer, Brad Garret, Montel Williams and Nelly…this is just a partial list of celebrities and athletes who joined Ante Up For Africa tournament founders Don Cheadle, Annie Duke and Norman Epstein for their 2009 Ante Up For Africa poker tournament…(if you’re able to read this posting in time, ESPN will broadcast the entire tournament tonight)

Participant Sarah Silverman reminds us what its all about: “You learn about the holocaust in school and you’re like, well that can never happen today because we would never let that happen today,” she said from the red-carpet, “But it’s happening. There’s a genocide happening.”

From the ENOUGH PROJECT: The dire crisis in Darfur is entering its sixth year. The conflict has killed 400,000 people and forced more than 3 million Darfuris to flee their homes. The recent expulsion of key international humanitarian groups by the government of Sudan in response to the International Criminal Court’s issuance of an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir has placed hundreds of thousands of the most needy at even greater risk and without access to medical care or reliable food supplies. President Bashir continues to utilize starvation as a weapon of war to silence his opponents and to distract the world from the key issues in Darfur. Now more than ever, there needs to be a dynamic international effort to move beyond simply treating the symptoms of Sudan’s crisis and focuses on ENDING it by forging a lasting and equitable peace for all of Sudan.

Ante Up For Africa has established itself as the premiere event to help end the crisis in Darfur, raising over $2 million since its inception in 2006 to help build a brighter future for the people of Sudan. “The greatest thing that you can do is educate the population about the problem,” said Annie Duke, “Because when some of those people who are then exposed to an issue that they might not have otherwise been exposed to find some passion in it, then they speak and our representatives listen and that’s really what creates the lasting change.”

Ante Up For Africa benefits two amazing organizations…‘The Enough Project’ and ‘Refugee International’s Sudan’ advocacy efforts…and they still need your help with another situation…our insatiable demand for electronics products such as cell phones and laptops is helping fuel a major conflict in Eastern Congo. This is the most dangerous place in the world to be a woman or girl, and the sexual violence there is often fueled by militias warring over conflict minerals, the ores that produce tin, tungsten, and tantalum—the 3 Ts— that end up being used in our electronic devices.

Check out the Enough Projects YouTube channel to view video posted by contestants who are raising awareness about the link between our cell phones and the violence in Congo. Oscar-nominated actor Ryan Gosling, actress Sonya Walger from ABC’s “Lost,” and Oscar-nominated director Wim Wenders selected the best three videos and are asking us to vote for winner. Voting ends September 8…so check it out soon.

The next Ante Up for Africa event will be October 29 at the San Manuel Casino. For more info, visit Ante Up for Africa.

As always, thanks for reading. Delinda@athlebrities.com

Jamie Gold Lands Richest Online Sponsorship Deal in History

Posted on February 13, 2009 by Delinda

Jamie Gold Lands Richest Online Sponsorship Deal in History
“I am looking for, and will find a (poker) site that we can all trust, accepts US players, and will teach and support their players without worry of impropriety or monies not being safe,” Jamie Gold stated late this past week.

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Most of you will scratch your head while asking ‘Who is Jamie Gold?’ Unless you’re addicted to Poker After Dark, the humor of Phil Laak, the sex appeal of Antonio Esfandiari and the philanthropy of Don Cheadle, Jennifer Harman and Phil Ivey, then I wouldn’t expect you to recognize his name. But take notice, Jamie Gold is the 2006 World Series of Poker champion and the all-time money leader in the game – And he has just inked the industry’s most lucrative multi-year contract in history with upstart poker brand Aced.com.

“We’ve been careful and patient in waiting for the right deal,” stated Gold’s agent Sean Fredericks. Now here’s the 8-10 kicker, Gold turned down several endorsement offers over the past two years because they didn’t mesh with his philosophy of charitable giving. Since his 2006 WSOP win, Gold’s been heavily involved with over 50 charity related events, he’s helped raise more than $110,000 for such charities as MDA/ALS Division, The Sunflower Organization, Montel Williams MS Foundation, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation. He’s not just a poker player-he’s a philanthropist.

“I’m really proud of the example we, as a poker community, are setting,” he said, “Professional poker players, celebrities, athletes, and captains of industry have worked tirelessly and participated honorably in support of charitable gaming events to impact important world causes. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to give back,” added Gold. “But it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Aced and I plan to leave our mark, not just on poker, but on the world, making it a better place for future generations.”

So, how much is the deal worth? Mums the word…but according to “sources,” Gold is about to earn upwards of eight figures. Aced.com will also fund Gold’s participation in major USA, European, and Asian events. “I am not at liberty to disclose details of the arrangement,” commented Gold’s attorney Les Abell. “However, I can say that this contract is valued at more than any deal I’ve ever heard of.”

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Not convinced that Jamie Gold is worth the price of Tiger Woods? Think again. His name is one of the most searched on the Internet and his compassion is infectious. I dare you to read this amazing piece Gold wrote about Parkinson’s Disease and Michael J Fox without being moved. It appeared in Bluff magazine in 2006. In part, Gold wrote:

Michael J. Fox

Aced.com launched in September 2008…Aced poker room manager Brandon Berndt stated in regards to signing Gold, “We are extremely excited to have Jamie on board, not only because of his obvious value as an ambassador for us within the poker world, but for the unparalleled enthusiasm, insight, and creativity he brings to the ongoing development of our brand. He could have chosen so many other sites, but we share his values and vision. He is worth every penny—or billion pennies.”

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As always, thanks for reading. Delinda@athlebrities.com