The Montana Hope Project, a group who grants wishes to terminally ill children, will get a helping hand with their funding thanks to the Great Falls Exchange Club.  The club has organized and is sponsoring a Texas Hold’Em Casino Night on April 26 at the Machinery Row.  Fifty percent of the proceeds will be donated to the nonprofit wish organization.  The will be the second annual event aimed at helping the group.  The Montana Hope Project is an offshoot of the Children’s Miracle Network.

According to the Great Falls Exchange Club’s spokeswoman Heather Martin, last years events raised close to $5,000.00 for the charity.  The Great Falls Club is part of the National Exchange Club, an American service club that is committed to helping communities grow and better places to live in.  The support programs that deal in Americanism, community service, youth activities, and child abuse prevention, which is the national organizations main project.

The Great Falls Exchange Club helps promote child abuse prevention by distributing parental tip cards in addition to ‘Believe in the Blue’ ribbon pins during the month of April.  The pins are the colour of bruises and they are meant to remind people that everyone is responsible for fighting for the rights of the nation’s children.

The event is open to the public and the entry fee is $125.00 and registration forms can be obtained by calling 788-6273 or visiting local retailers in Great Falls, Montana.

In 1984 a group of Montana Highway Patrol Officers did everything in their effort to help children in the community with life-threatening illnesses realize one last dream.  The have continued this project with funding from the community and special events such as the Texas Hold’Em Poker event.  So far, 282 wishes have been granted and the organizers are hoping that this year’s poker tournament will raise as much as – if not more – than last years.  The average amount of an award in order for one of the children’s wish to be granted is approximately $6,000.00, which include support and services for the ill child’s family as well.

Members of the community are excited about the Texas Hold’Em night and are glad that the event shows the positive uses of card games such as this.  Other fundraising activities have included auctions, dinners and dances, golf classics, and miscellaneous events.  Last year alone the organization raised enough money to help fifteen ill children receive their wish.