Participants in the inaugural Legion Poker Rally and Toy Run held last year on Sept. 2 gather for a group photo before heading out on the toy parade and poker rally. The Legion has organized a second poker rally and toy run for 2018.
Kenneth Brown
of The Clarion
Kindersley area bikers looking to go on a late summer cruise, win cash and support a good cause at the same time could do it all at the beginning of September.
The second annual Legion Poker Rally and Toy Run is being presented by the Kindersley Legion on Sept. 1, and registration takes place at the Legion Hall at 11 a.m. Everyone is welcome to participate regardless of where they live or if they have a motorcycle.
Bikers are asked to bring a new unwrapped toy that will be donated to the West Central Crisis and Family Support Centre. The crisis centre, an organization that provides services to the west central region, will donate the toys to an annual Christmas Hamper program. The toys go to hamper recipients with children.
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A toy parade will be held at noon on Main St., so bikers starting in Kindersley will ride together down Main St. with their toys. The toys will be collected before the bikers head out for the poker rally. There are three stops.
The bikers will first head east to Rosetown before heading south to Elrose, and then west to Eston before returning to Kindersley. Poker hands will be available at each stop and ghost hands will also be available. The bikers will be welcomed by Legion members in each of the communities.
A ghost hand allows passengers or people without a motorcycle to play along and support the event. If a person who wins with a ghost hand is not in Kindersley at the end of the rally, the person could have someone else take care of their hand.
There will be a barbecue at the Legion Hall in Kindersley when the bikers return from the poker rally and the cost of the barbecue is included in the poker hand. The winning hands are determined at the barbecue.
The ride is approximately 200 kilometres long. A poker hand costs $20 and 60 per cent of the pot will be paid out to the top three poker hands. The winner will get 30 per cent, second place gets 20 per cent and third place gets 10 per cent of the pot.
Al Drozd, a member of the Kindersley Legion and spokesperson for the event, said the inaugural poker rally and toy run in 2017 worked out well, so it was decided to do it again. Drozd said the Legion branch and crisis centre were happy after the inaugural rally, and “the bikers seemed to enjoy themselves.”
He noted that Legion branches are always willing to help their neighbouring branches and members in each of the communities have been supportive of the poker rally. Organizing a poker rally, or any event, is one way for the Legion to do something for the community.
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