By Gene Galin
Pittsboro, NC — A new push to build Special Olympics Chatham County will get a public boost Saturday, May 16, when local organizers host a charity Texas Hold ’Em tournament at The Mod, using cards, food and friendly competition to raise money and awareness for athletes and families who have long wanted more local opportunities close to home.
The tournament is being promoted as both a fundraiser and a community introduction for Special Olympics Chatham County. Heather Johnson, the mother of Special Olympics athlete Trevor Johnson, joined Kathy Wasson, volunteer and outreach coordinator for Second Bloom of Chatham County and one of the new local coordinators for Special Olympics Chatham County, to explain the event during an our conversation at The Mod.
Johnson said the local effort is personal. Her son Trevor has participated as a Special Olympics athlete in Orange County, but the family and other supporters have been working to develop a program in Chatham County.
“We have been trying to get a program here in Chatham, and now we’re getting one,” Johnson said.
A fundraiser built around a familiar local game
The May 16 tournament will use a $20 buy-in format, with players receiving 20,000 chips.
The money raised through buy-ins, re-buys and related event activities will support organizations serving individuals with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Special Olympics Chatham County.
The tournament is expected to run from about 3 to 6 p.m., though the exact length will depend on the number of players and pace of play. Johnson said the event can accommodate experienced players while also welcoming newcomers who may never have played Texas Hold ’Em before.
“Cards will fly at 3 p.m. sharp,” Johnson said.
Players who lose their chips early will have limited opportunities to buy back in, creating both a competitive structure and an additional fundraising opportunity. Organizers also expect raffle tickets and prizes to be part of the afternoon.
The event will be directed by Sharon Payne, who is described as a well-known local card player and professional dealer. Her role will include managing the tournament flow, table movement and competitive structure.
Why Special Olympics Chatham County matters
The fundraiser arrives as local organizers work to give Chatham County athletes a stronger home base within the broader Special Olympics North Carolina network. Special Olympics North Carolina’s local programs are generally organized by county and are managed by local coordinators who handle work ranging from athlete registration and fundraising to training and competition planning. The organization has nearly 100 accredited local programs serving almost every county in the state.
That local structure is important for families who otherwise may travel to nearby counties for practices, competitions or community activities. Johnson said Trevor has participated in Orange County, but the goal is to build something in Chatham that can recruit athletes, involve volunteers and become a recognizable local program.
Trevor, she said, will serve as a recruiting manager, helping connect other athletes and families to the new effort. Johnson will assist as volunteer coordinator, while Kathy Wasson is helping lead the local Special Olympics Chatham County chapter.
The emphasis on recruitment reflects a central challenge for new programs: families must know the opportunity exists before athletes can participate. Wasson said the poker tournament is not only about money; it is about visibility.
Throughout the event, organizers plan to talk with participants and spectators about the new program, the need for volunteers and the role Special Olympics can play in the county.
A local chapter with a broader mission
Special Olympics North Carolina has described Chatham County’s local program work in similar terms before. In a 2019 announcement naming a local co-coordinator for Special Olympics Chatham County, the organization said the county role involved helping implement Special Olympics activities, recruiting and managing volunteers, increasing athlete participation and raising funds for the local program. The same announcement said Special Olympics North Carolina offers year-round training and competition in 19 Olympic-type sports, along with health and wellness initiatives for people with intellectual disabilities.
The current organizing effort discussed by Johnson and Wasson follows that same basic model: build a local committee, recruit athletes, identify volunteers, develop sports opportunities and raise the money needed to sustain the work.
The timing also comes as Special Olympics North Carolina prepares for major statewide events. The 2026 Summer Games will be held May 29-31 and will include nearly 1,700 athletes competing in eight sports, with more than 1,000 volunteers needed. The 2026 Summer Games will take place in the Triangle area and include athletes and Unified partners from across the state competing in athletics, basketball, bowling, cheerleading, gymnastics, powerlifting, swimming and volleyball.
For Chatham organizers, that larger statewide network underscores the importance of having a county-level entry point. Local programs are often where athletes first learn about opportunities, where parents meet other families and where volunteers become connected to the mission.
The Mod as a gathering place
The choice of The Mod as the tournament site was not accidental. Johnson said Jamie, the owner of The Mod, has been supportive of the effort and has a personal connection to Trevor and the broader community of people supporting individuals with autism.
The venue also has enough room for tournament play. Johnson estimated that the space could accommodate as many as 50 players, with tables of six to eight players at the start. As players are eliminated, tables will be consolidated until the tournament reaches a final table.
That format will be familiar to experienced poker players. For newcomers, Johnson said the atmosphere will be welcoming and instructional. Participants do not need to arrive as seasoned players; they only need to be willing to learn and support the cause.
Even residents who do not want to play can attend, watch, eat and learn more about Special Olympics Chatham County. Organizers said spectators are welcome, and the event may serve as a low-pressure introduction for people who might consider playing in the future.
Reviving Texas Hold ’Em in Pittsboro
For some participants, the fundraiser will also revive a social activity that has been absent from Pittsboro for years. Johnson said Texas Hold ’Em had a local following before the COVID-19 pandemic, with weekly games drawing about 30 players at times. She recalled earlier games at local venues including the Roadhouse and Verlie’s.
“We used to have poker in Pittsboro, and we haven’t had it for years,” Johnson said.
The tournament is therefore serving two purposes at once: supporting a nonprofit cause and testing whether Pittsboro has enough interest to sustain a regular local game again. Johnson said organizers have discussed the possibility of Monday night games at The Mod if the fundraiser goes well.
That possibility could matter beyond the poker tables. Regular game nights can become community rituals, bringing people into local businesses during slower times and creating repeat opportunities for fundraising, outreach and social connection.
“We’d like to keep our game in Pittsboro and for a good cause,” Johnson said. “It’s just a win-win.”
How the tournament will work
Texas Hold ’Em is a poker game in which players receive two private cards and combine them with shared community cards to make the best five-card hand. In tournament play, participants begin with a set number of chips and continue until they lose their chips or survive to the final table.
Johnson said each player’s $20 buy-in will provide 20,000 chips. Players who lose early may have opportunities to re-buy for another $20, allowing them to continue in the tournament while increasing the total raised for the supported organizations. A smaller add-on option may also be available around the break for players who want to increase their chip stack.
As players are eliminated, the tournament director will rebalance tables. The goal is to reach a final table of remaining players who compete for the top spot.
There will be prizes, including lighthearted recognitions that may allow even early exits to win something. That approach is designed to keep the event fun rather than intimidating.
The tournament format also gives volunteers several roles to fill. They may help with registration, chip handling, raffle tickets, table support, food service coordination or information-sharing about Special Olympics Chatham County.
A fundraiser connected to a wider support network
While Special Olympics Chatham County is central to the event, Johnson also mentioned other organizations serving people with autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities in and around Chatham County.
One is Camp Royall, located in Moncure and operated by the Autism Society of North Carolina. The Autism Society describes Camp Royall as the nation’s oldest and largest camp for people with autism, a place where campers build skills and make friends.
Another is the Carolina Living and Learning Center, located north of Pittsboro. The UNC TEACCH Autism Program describes the center as an integrated vocational and residential program for autistic adults, located on 79 acres and serving residents in two homes certified as Intermediate Care Facilities.
Wasson also noted that a Monarch day program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities is expected to open locally. Monarch says its day programs help adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities build skills they can use in the community or at work, while encouraging creativity, community involvement and relationships.
Together, those references point to a broader local ecosystem of services, programs and community supports. The fundraiser is not just about a single event; it is part of a larger effort to make Chatham County more visible and responsive to families seeking opportunities for people with autism, intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities.
Inclusion through sports and community
Special Olympics is best known for sports, but its value extends beyond competition. Athletic programs can create friendships, confidence and community recognition for people who are too often left out of traditional sports and social settings.
That point is reflected in Special Olympics’ Unified Sports model, which brings people with and without intellectual disabilities together on the same team. Special Olympics says Unified Sports promotes social inclusion through shared training and competition, with the idea that training and playing together can create friendship and understanding.
While the May 16 fundraiser is a poker tournament rather than an athletic competition, the same inclusion principle is present. The event is built around participation, conversation and community visibility. It invites poker players, families, business owners, volunteers and curious residents into the same room.
For a new county program, that kind of visibility can be especially important. A program cannot grow if families do not know where to go, volunteers do not know how to help and the community does not understand what is being built.
Volunteers will be key to the program’s future
The repeated emphasis on volunteer coordination is significant. Special Olympics programs depend heavily on volunteers for coaching, event operations, athlete support, transportation help, fundraising and administrative tasks.
Johnson said she will assist with volunteer coordination, while Wasson’s role includes outreach and local program leadership. The fundraiser gives them a chance to identify people who may be willing to help beyond a single afternoon.
Those volunteers do not necessarily need sports backgrounds. New programs often need organizers, communicators, fundraisers, drivers, scorekeepers, photographers, social media helpers and people willing to show up consistently.
For Chatham County, the early volunteer base could shape what sports or activities the local program is able to offer first. A strong volunteer response may allow the chapter to move more quickly from awareness-building to regular practices and competitions.
A personal story at the center
Behind the logistics is a family story. Johnson spoke not as a detached organizer, but as the mother of an athlete who has already benefited from Special Olympics participation. Trevor’s planned role as recruiting manager gives the event a personal and symbolic center.
It also reflects the athlete leadership model that many Special Olympics programs encourage. Athletes are not simply recipients of services; they can become ambassadors, recruiters, speakers and leaders.
For Trevor, recruiting may mean helping others feel welcome. For parents, it may mean seeing another family that understands the process. For the public, it may put a face on a program that is still being introduced locally.
That personal connection is also part of what brought The Mod into the effort. Johnson described the business owner as supportive of Trevor and of community efforts that serve people with autism.
A low-pressure invitation
Heather and Kathey repeatedly stressed that residents do not need poker experience to take part. Beginners can ask questions, observe and learn. Experienced players can compete. Nonplayers can attend as spectators.
That broad invitation may help the fundraiser draw beyond the usual nonprofit audience. Poker players who might not already be connected to Special Olympics could learn about the program. Families who may be interested in Special Olympics but unfamiliar with Texas Hold ’Em can still attend and meet organizers. Local residents looking for a Saturday afternoon activity can support the cause through food, raffle tickets or donations.
The event’s informal tone may also help. Johnson described poker players as dedicated but said the tournament will be fun, structured and accessible.
The combination of competition and charity is a familiar fundraising formula, but its success depends on trust. Organizers are asking the community to trust that the event will be enjoyable, the money will support local causes and the new Special Olympics Chatham County effort is worth backing.
What happens after May 16
If the tournament succeeds, Kathy and Heather hope it will not be the last. Johnson said a recurring Texas Hold ’Em night at The Mod is under discussion, potentially on Mondays. That would give Pittsboro a revived local poker scene and give organizers a recurring platform for future fundraisers or awareness events.
For Special Olympics Chatham County, the next steps will likely include continued athlete recruitment, volunteer development and planning for sports or activities that can be offered locally. Building a local program is not a one-day project; it requires sustained coordination, family engagement and community support.
The fundraiser could help provide the first burst of momentum. It can raise money, but it can also raise names, contacts and commitments.
That may be the most important outcome. A successful afternoon at The Mod could show folks that the county is ready to support a stronger local Special Olympics presence.
A Saturday afternoon with larger stakes
The May 16 Texas Hold ’Em tournament at The Mod is, on its surface, a simple community fundraiser: $20 to play, chips on the table, prizes, food, drinks and a few hours of friendly competition.
But for Heather Johnson, Kathy Wasson, Trevor Johnson and others working to build Special Olympics Chatham County, the stakes are larger than cards. The event represents a public introduction for a local program that aims to give athletes with intellectual disabilities more opportunities to participate, compete, lead and belong in their own county.
Residents who want to help can attend the tournament, play, watch, buy raffle tickets, ask about volunteering or spread the word to families who may benefit from Special Olympics Chatham County.
As Johnson put it, the fundraiser is meant to bring together people who love Texas Hold ’Em and people who care about local inclusion. For Pittsboro, that may make May 16 more than a game day. It may be the start of a new community tradition.
Event details: Special Olympics Chatham County Texas Hold ’Em fundraiser, Saturday, May 16, at The Mod in Pittsboro. Card play is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Buy-in is $20 for 20,000 chips. Spectators are welcome.