Strathmore Poker Run legacy continues

By Adelle Ellis, Times Reporter

Participants and bikers from across the province will be testing their luck June 22 to 24 during the annual Strathmore Poker Run, the longest poker run in kilometres in southern Alberta.
Now in its 19th year of operation to raise money for kids’ cancer, the event, originally started by Matthew (Dirtdog) Janzen to raise funds for charity, soon morphed into a fundraiser for the Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta.
Janzen was diagnosed with cancer a few years after the event’s inception, and while he was fighting his own battle, he was heartbroken to think young children were faced with the hardships of cancer treatment and he wanted to find a way to help them fight back.
Although Janzen lost his battle with cancer only a couple years after the event started, his legacy lives on in the form of a three-day event that draws the attention and participation of nearly 200 bikers, which raises funds upwards of approximately $15,000 each year for kids’ cancer.
“We just think his legacy should keep going and it’s a good cause for kids’ cancer,” said one of the 13 event organizers, Deanna Verhey. “It’s a good time for everybody and we all get to see each other every year and we raise money for kids.”
This year’s weekend of events will kick off on June 22 with a head shave at 6:30 p.m. at the Strathmore Hotel, where interested riders can also sign up for the poker run. So far there are five participants who will be shaving their heads to help raise funds for the good cause.
One of those participants is Verhey’s eight-year-old son Riley, one of Strathmore’s first poker run babies who participated in the Strathmore Poker Run when he was only two months old. Since he decided to shave his head for the event he has been hard at work collecting pledges and has already surpassed $2,000.
Registration for the Strathmore Poker Run is $50. The event starts 9 a.m. on June 23 at Original Joe’s. From there, registrants will receive their first playing card before riding to Rockyford, Carbon, Wayne, Standard and then back to the Strathmore Hotel. At each location, they pick a random card to complete their poker hand. As per tradition, prizes are handed out for the best and worst hands at the end of the run.
Other events on Saturday night include free camping at a private location with supper, and the Saturday night party with Calgary-based band Flowshine.
Sunday is Family Fun Day with a bike rodeo and many games and events for the kids and the whole family.
In the past 18 years, the Strathmore Poker Run has raised over $230,000 for Kids Cancer Care to go towards supporting families going through childhood cancer.
“Just knowing the fact that I was able to help out and give a family who’s really in need of some extra funds. I’ve had family pass away from cancer so I just fell in love with the organization, I fell in love with the group,” said Verhey. “We have a blast doing it and why not just get together and raise a couple extra dollars for a good cause.”