Poker Rally revs up for another year

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

Bikers are lining up to play a different type of Poker this weekend. In honour of the founder of the Poker Rally, Matt Jansen, participants will take part in the 15th annual celebration to raise funds for the Kids Cancer Foundation.
The weekend will be kicked off with a head shaving at the Green Bar, followed by a weekend long bike ride which will remember Jansen, who started the rally back in 2000 but lost his battle with cancer in 2002.
“It’s kind of generally in his honour every year,” said Jennifer Jordan, Poker Rally committee member.
“We generally, if we know someone really well or that has lost their battle to cancer, we do the memory in their honour.”
She added that if it weren’t for the dedicated volunteers, the rally would not be run as smoothly.
“People don’t understand the level of work that’s involved in putting something like this together and not only that but the volunteers that are required, the ability to find a place to hold the event,” said Jordan.
The Poker Rally riders will go around to communities in and around Strathmore where they will pick up a card for their poker hand and whoever has the best cards will win $10,000.
Usually Rockyford is the first stop, followed by Carbon, Rosedale and then Wayne, Standard and back to Strathmore.
“You get a card everywhere except for Wayne but you build your hand at each stop and the final stop is the Strathmore Green Bar,” she said.
They get in all the hands and the winning hand is presented at the party on Saturday evening.”
Other festivities include a keg push with the bikes, slow races, a ‘Honey my Man’s home’ and a keg toss. The kids will do a mini-keg toss and a beanbag toss .
The Poker Rally will run all weekend following the head shave on June 19 at 6 p.m., the ride will commence on June 20 with registration beginning at 9 a.m. at Original Joe’s. There will be an adult-only party just north of town on an acreage. On Sunday June 21, there will be a Family Day at the same place as the party, which will begin at noon.
All the events are for the people who have purchased a wristband on the Saturday. The address for the Saturday night party and the Family Day will be included on the map provided at registration.
The admission for the event will be $40 a ticket, and that will include the Poker Run on their motorcycles, as well as access to the weekend festivities.