State law turns poker fundraiser into 7-card dud

New Jersey -- April Farmer won a tough battle against cancer last year.

But the Gloucester Township homemaker never expected another fight -- this time with bureaucrats -- over a fundraiser to help people with the disease.

"The state totally messed things up," laments the 28-year-old mother of two, who ran into a nightmarish situation while trying to do good.

Farmer says she became an activist after her cancer diagnosis, recruiting a team for a 2006 "Light the Night" walk by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Her group, April's Lymphoma Stompers, raised about $2,300.

"This year, I wanted to do more," says Farmer, who decided to supplement the 2007 walk with her own event. Looking for ideas, she saw another charity was holding a poker tournament.

I thought, "Wow! Poker is so huge!' " recalls Farmer. "I started planning right away. I talked, ate and slept poker."

Over a period of several months, Farmer collected door prizes from local sports teams and tourist attractions. She arranged for charity catering by area pizza shops and delis. She plastered flyers around the area, stocked up on playing cards and booked a hall for more than 200 people.

And then everything went wrong.

"The lady who rents the hall, a few days before the event, she said, "You've got your permits and everything, right?' says Farmer. "I thought, "What permits are you talking about?' "

It turns out -- appearances to the contrary -- people can't just gamble in New Jersey, even to help a charity. Farmer's long-planned event suddenly needed a license that came with a lot of rules and fees -- all taking more time and money than she had.

Farmer's reaction to this bad news: "I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that. I can't cancel."

That tactic might work, she reasoned, if state regulators never learned of her party.

But with one day to go, the state called. A worker from the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission laid down the law, which allows a $7,500 fine for first offenders.

Her reaction to this bad news?

"I cried like my mother was murdered in front of me," Farmer says. "My boyfriend had to take the phone."

To make matters worse, several people with tournament tickets wanted their money back. Because Farmer had spent ticket proceeds on supplies, she says, the refunds of $500 came from her own cash.

Farmer, who fought through nine months of chemotherapy, says she was ready to give up. But her boyfriend, Steve Rei-neck, spurred her on, suggesting she hold a beef 'n' beer.

"It was the only legal thing I could do," Farmer says. She will throw the party Friday night in Washington Township.

But Farmer, who once hoped to raise $10,000 from poker players, says $25 ticket sales have been slow for the beef 'n' beer. One possible reason: She has far fewer fliers this time, having exhausted her budget on the poker tournament.

"I'm just hoping people turn out," Farmer says.

Well, don't tell the state, but I'm betting on her.

Jim Walsh Courier Post Online

News Added: 24 September, 2007

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