POKERSTARS FOR CHINA EARTHQUAKE RELIEF

POKERSTARS FOR CHINA EARTHQUAKE RELIEF Online poker site facilitating aid contributions The online poker website Pokerstars.com has put together a multi-layered scheme through which its hundreds of thousands of members can make aid contributions to the victimes of the Chinese earthquake catastrophy. The Pokerstarsblog comments that its players have a long history of supporting people in need. In the past several years, PokerStars and its players have donated to victims of the Indonesian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. They have also given to the Lifeball AIDS research effort and the fight to stop the genocide in Darfur.  "Now, as the people of China struggle to cope with the deadly earthquake in their country, PokerStars is giving its players a way to help." Members are poffered the option of donating directly to the Red Cross from PokerStars accounts. Members can transfer any amount to the "Quake Relief" PokerStars account or they can give between $1 and $100 by signing up for the China Quake Relief Fund (no game will be played) under the Tourney/Special tab on the website.  As it has in the past, PokerStars has pledged to match every donation to the dollar. Every dollar members give will be turned into $2 by PokerStars before the money is sent to the Red Cross. With the death toll nearing 70 000 and many people still unaccounted for, and millions rendered homeless and in need of medical and other assistance, the disaster is one of epic proportions and Pokerstars is to be commended for stepping up so generously to help. It is understood that thousands of Stars players have already donated, and that the generous response from poker players around the world continues.