The American Red Cross will hold a “Ride for the Red” Poker Run on Saturday, starting at Creek Ratz Restaurant in Florence.
The run will start at 10 a.m. with the last bike leaving the restaurant at noon. The last bike will return to the restaurant at 4 p.m., and festivities, including live entertainment and drawings, will begin.
Debra Suggs, spokeswoman for the Pee Dee Chapter of the American Red Cross, said the event is meant to be a celebration.
“It is a celebration event for our heroes campaign that we’re closing out in a couple of weeks,” she said.
Suggs said the heroes campaign is one of the American Heart Association’s annual springtime fundraisers that focuses on grassroots efforts to raise money to help others in need.
“We had a Five for Fires fundraiser, where children collect money, five nickels, five dimes, whatever they can,” she said. “It’s a really grassroots campaign and its one of the most popular for the Red Cross chapter.”
Kelli Dowling, special events coordinator for Creek Ratz Restaurants, said the company always is looking for ways to be involved in the community, so when the Red Cross approached them about hosting the event, they were happy to take part.
“All the motorcyclists who wish to participate will pay for a hand,” she said. “There is a course they will travel and, at each stop, they will draw a playing card and when they come back to Creek Ratz, they will draw their final card.”
Once the participants have all returned to the restaurant and drawn their final cards, Dowling said the Red Cross names the winner based on who had the best poker hand.
“Whoever has the best hand will win the top prize,” she said.
In addition to hosting the poker run itself, Creek Ratz will provide a complimentary hot dog bar to riders in the poker run, combined with live music for those who want to hang out and enjoy the fun.
“We’re hoping to have live entertainment starting at around 5 p.m. and lasting until 11 p.m. that night,” Dowling said.
She said there also will be
T-shirts available with the Creek Ratz logo on the front and the name of the event on the back. There also will be a 50/50 drawing to close out the event.
“The 50/50 drawing is when they pass around a big basket and everybody throws money into it and then they get raffle tickets, and whoever’s is drawn gets 50 percent of the bucket, and the rest goes to the Red Cross,” she said.
If you’re going
What: Ride for the Red Poker Run to benefit the American Red Cross
When: 10 a.m. Saturday
Where: Creek Ratz Restaurant, 2001 S. Cashua Drive, Florence
Info: Call Kelli Dowling at (843) 655-1437.
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