Six members of the Calgary Stampeders put their cards on the table for a worthy cause on Tuesday evening.

The fourth annual Children’s Wish Poker Tournament was held at Cowboys Casino and was open to members of the public. Those in attendance were accompanied by the likes of Bo Levi Mitchell, Quinn Smith, Tim St. Pierre, Adam Thibault, Spencer Wilson and defensive coordinator DeVone Claybrooks.

A charitable foundation granting the wishes of children facing life-threatening illnesses, the Children’s Wish Foundation of Alberta & Northwest Territories will benefit from the thousands of dollars raised through the tournament. The event also capped off Children’s Wish Month in Alberta, as the month of March has been officially dedicated to celebrating the children, donors and volunteers associated with the Wish Foundation.

Smith was the first Stamp to be eliminated while Mitchell was the final member of the Red and White left standing. Then, after a 20-minute showdown during the final hand, Anton Suberlak outlasted Sophie Lebessis to take the title. However, the Children’s Wish Foundation was the ultimate winner, as 70 per cent of the tournament’s prize pool for the top five finishers was directly donated back to the Children’s Wish Foundation.

Other highlights of the event included a 50-50 raffle, silent auction and an emotional address from David, whose young daughter Coleen was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Given the unique opportunity to be granted the wish of her dreams, Coleen and her family are set to embark on a Disney cruise this fall.

In addition, Mitchell accepted an invitation to serve as the official ambassador for next year’s tournament.