Check Out The Charity Poker & Casino Night at TrebleMakers Tomorrow!

One day after your N’Awlins feast, even though there’s a world of online gambling sites, if you still enjoy playing poker against other real men and women in a fun setting — with a chance to win great prizes while helping a wonderful cause — you should consider joining the Neighborhood News crew and North Tampa Bay Chamber members at Shark AI Solutions’ (formerly Shark Branding Solutions) “Aces & AI” Charity Poker & Casino Night. 

This fun and exciting event will be held on Monday, August 24, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., at TrebleMakers Sports Bar & Dueling Pianos (6034 Wesley Grove Blvd., The Grove at Wesley Chapel). It will be an unforgettable evening of blackjack, poker, roulette & craps and giving back to another outstanding local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — the Robert Noa Foundation. 

According to RobertNoaFoundation.com, this motocross-focused charity “Pays it Forward to the Next Generation” of riders: 

“We believe the lessons learned at the track carry far beyond the finish line. Robert’s life embodied dedication, humility and the pure joy of riding — and his spirit continues to inspire everyone who throws a leg over a bike. 

“Our mission is to honor Robert’s legacy through scholarships, mentorship and community programs. We’re not just supporting young athletes, we’re fostering a culture of perseverance, sportsmanship and heart.” 

Your $40 admission price (plus $4.52 processing fee) includes: a delicious TrebleMakers dinner buffet, $25 in play chips (with opportunities to re-buy), professional casino tables with experienced dealers & opportunities to both network with local businesses and win some great prizes! 

Although there will not be any cash won, everyone who buys chips at the event will have a chance to win the following great prizes:

  • One-night stay in a King Suite at Saddlebrook Resort plus 18 holes of golf for two
  • Motocross track experiences at Dade City Motocross, including professional training, dirt bike rental, boots and helmet
  • Wakeboarding adventures
  • Ice skating and hockey experiences
  • PopStroke
  • Main Event games and entertainment
  • Comedy club tickets
  • Multiple hotel stays, including stays from Hampton Inn and Hyatt
  • Tickets to an upcoming Tampa Bay Lightning game
  • Additional local experiences and prizes

There also will be pro motocross riders and beautiful motocross bikes on display for photo opportunities. 

And, here’s more exciting news, the new “Chapel After Dark” Podcast also will be filming its first-ever episode during the event! 

Pre-registration is required. For more info or to purchase tickets, see the ad above or visit Eventbrite.com/e/aces-ai-charity-poker-and-casino-night-tickets-1996503011251. — GN 

Love Cajun Cooking? Want To Help A Great Cause? Attend ‘A Taste of N’Awlins’ Today!”

(Above) Dr./Chef Elliot Cazes will again be in the kitchen cooking up an amazing New Orleans-style feast at the “A Taste of N’Awlins” fund raiser to benefit Faces of Courage on Sunday, August 23, at the Arbor Green clubhouse.

Speaking of great chefs, while my longtime friend Elliot Cazes, M.D., may not be a chef in a restaurant (at least not yet), he certainly could be — at least in one editor’s humble opinion. 

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, Elliot (a noted local OB/GYN doctor and lecturer) and I hosted a benefit to raise money to send to the victims of that brutal Category 3 (by the time it hit Louisiana) storm. 

I had so much fun watching Elliot create his famous chicken & andouille sausage gumbo and other N’Awlins cuisine items that I told him then, “You know you could do this for a living.” 

Fast forward 21 years. “Chef Elliot” is still working as a doctor, but he and his wife Pam also have been helping a wonderful organization called the “Faces of Courage Foundation,” a New Tampa-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting cancer patients and survivors. 

According to FacesofCourage.org, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by New Tampa resident Peggie D. Sherry in Jan. 2004, “provides day outings, educational workshops and medically supervised overnight camps for women, children and families touched by all types of cancer and blood disorders — all at no cost.” The organization’s motto is “No one faces cancer alone.” 

Chef Elliot shares a laugh with student volunteer Caroline Perry at a previous event.

This year’s Women’s Cancer Camp, a weekend retreat sponsored by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik’s Vinik Family Foundation, will be held Sept. 18-20, at Rotary’s Camp Florida in Brandon. But, Elliot, who has been cooking for this incredible organization’s camps for 20 years, says that, following the passing of another major sponsor, more money is needed for this year’s camps. 

To that end, he and Pam are hosting “A Taste of N’Awlins” dining event on Sunday, August 23, 4 p.m.-8 p.m., at the Arbor Greene Community Center (18000 Arbor Greene Dr.). 

“We’ll be serving my chicken and andouille gumbo (yum!), red beans & rice (double yum!) and assorted po-boy sandwiches (triple yum!),” Elliot says. “You can eat it there in the clubhouse or take it to go.” 

Please note that, the food will be cash-only — for only $20 per meal — although additional donations will be accepted in cash or by check. “It’ll be good food for a great cause and a great community,” Elliot says. “We hope to see you there on the 23rd!” 

For more info, visit FacesofCourage.org or see the ad below, but reservations are not necessary or being accepted for this event. Everyone is invited — you do not have to be an Arbor Greene resident to attend!Â