Members of the Medicine Hat Vintage Vehicle Club present HALO Air Ambulance with a cheque for $16,000 after last year's Fun Poker Ride. The club is inviting all residents to join in on this Sunday's ride for a good cause, which kicks off with registration for $20 at Murray Chevrolet Cadillac from 12:30-2:30 p.m.--SUPPLIED PHOTO
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Put your foot on the pedal Sunday and raise funds for HALO Air Ambulance during the fourth annual Fun Poker Ride, open to the public with proceeds going directly to the life-saving service.
Organized by the Medicine Hat Vintage Vehicle Club, the poker ride will take motorists to a variety of stops in and around Medicine Hat on a hunt to acquire a five-card poker hand, preferably a high ranking hand, for a chance at one of three top prizes.
The ride will feature hot rods, roasters and classics driven by members of the Vintage Vehicle Club, however the charity ride is open to all members of the public and any type of vehicle or motorcycle.
The ride will kick off Sunday afternoon at Murray Chevrolet Cadillac Medicine Hat, where all drivers are asked to gather and register for $20 between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. However, vintage vehicles will be on display starting at 11:30 a.m.
Following registration, drivers will make their way to City Motor Parts along So. Railway Street to pick up their first card.
The second card can be found when participants visit Niwa Crane on Broadway Avenue in Redcliff.
Bumper to Bumper along 14th Street SE will be the third stop on the ride where there will be games which participants can choose to play to upgrade their poker hand for a small donation.
If motorists work up an appetite after Bumper to Bumper, the next location will be a treat. The ride will take participants to Crowsnest Cones in Sevens Persons where they can enjoy a discount on ice cream and play a game of corn hole to improve their poker hand.
The final stop is at the Irvine Hotel where participants will receive their last card to complete a full poker hand and be able to upgrade two cards for a $5 donation. The wrap event begins at 4:30 p.m. and will include a dinner special, a silent auction with more than 30 items donated by local sponsors, door prizes and a 50/50 draw, as well as prizes for the top three poker hands.
“We are trying to make this a fun event, it’s just a Sunday afternoon for people to come out and enjoy themselves and generate a little income for the charity, which is HALO,” said Les Roth, club president.
In 2021, members of the Vintage Vehicle Club said they were looking to host a unique fundraiser for HALO that involved vehicles but was more inclusive than a ‘Show n Shine’ event, so they came up with the poker ride as a more inclusive way to raise money.
Club member Henry Braun, a semi-retired farmer in the region, says he knows of two people near his farm outside Medicine Hat who have needed the life-saving services of HALO.
“They’ve been here (HALO), we live close to Highway 41 and they’ve picked up people from highway accidents. They’ve been supporting us and I guess it’s time that we should maybe support them.”
“The money you give could be your own life that you save,” added Braun. “You could be in an accident, and HALO could be there to pick you up or a close relative or a friend.”
Last year the poker ride grew to more than 120 participants and raised $16,000. This year organizers hope to see at least 150 on the road supporting HALO’s first responders in the sky.
