? on how to set up a 'Poker Run'

Ned Bulken

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Lakeport NY and/or the nearest hotel
I was appointed as a committee chairman tonight at Lodge, and as part of that, I'm encouraged to help out on the district level as well. Well, the District chairman wants to put on a Poker Run as a fund raiser to buy equipment for the Child ID program (free service to parents, we take current photo of any individual, put photo and critical data including finger prints etc... on CD Rom and printout for laminated ID card at various venues/events around the state). Only problem... I've never been on one, done one etc... Has anyone been in/on/run one of these and if so, would you be willing to share any tips? I"m not running the Poker run, but would like to contribute useful suggestions to the chair of the event.

And oh, by the way, I'm not running it because I think I somehow volunteered my wife and self to organize a craft show/flea market at the 'end' of the run. :huh::dunno:Details to follow.
 
A motorcycle discussion started on another forum one of our members also belongs to. I bowed out early because of my strong 'anti-motorcycle' opinions. But, since you asked, I'll offer a suggestion. Don't do it and encourage the Lodge to dump the idea and come up with something else. I don't know the details of how a poker run is operated but, as I understand it, the general method is for pack of motorcyclists to drive some distance to bar, stop, drink, play some kind of poker card game, drive again to another bar, drink some more, play more cards, drive again to another bar, etc. The drinking, driving part is not the kind of image :( I would encourage anyone to be involved in, especially a Lodge of men of morality. That's my tuppence.
 
Okay, I hate to be the dissenter here, but most Poker Runs today (at least the ones I get invited on) do not involve bars, or drinking. Almost all are fund raisers and the organizer goes to various businesses along a planned route and gets permission for the run to set up a check point. The route is usually between 50 and 100 miles depending on the time of day it starts and how long you want this to go. The run will often end at a restaurant where the participants will have dinner and determine the winner. Prizes usually consist of gift certificates, etc. from the cooperating businesses who served as check points. Each of these businesses will have a deck of cards and the riders draw from the deck as they arrive. The riders usually carry a score card that is uniquely marked at each check point (no two riders can have the same card on their scorecard). Some runs will have each stop identified before the start and some use the "now go here" method with the next stop revealed only once you arrived at the check point. Just do a google search on poker run rules and you should find plenty of information.;)
 
Ned, since there is some uncertainty about how the event would actually be run, please fill us in. I for one, have never heard of it.
 
My sister and BIL participate in them all the time. None of them involve bars/drinking as they both have very stronge beliefs about booze and hogs, but all of them raise money for some charity, individual or family. It's my understanding that at each stop you get a card and at the end of the ride the person with the best hands wins a prize. My BIL has always donated the prize back to the charity. (unless it's something Harley related)
 
I'll keep you updated. And in this day and age, I'm certain that a 'dry' event would be understood. There are several runs every year in the area, just the other day I had to wait several minutes for upwards of 150 cycles rumbled by the end of my side road (between the bikes and the opposing traffic) to get out and run an errand or two.

The event would be sometime in the spring most likely, and we'll be trying to raise money to buy more equipment for Child ID programs. Also, our district chairman was not just limiting it to riders, but was thinking a 'Fun run' for any and all who wanted to participate, classic cars, hot rods, etc... Thanks all for the tips, I'm sure we'll get it all ironed out in the end.
 
I have participated in several "poker runs" and not a single one involved drinking, speeding or large number of motorcycles. So, I disagree with Frank. These runs are lot of fun and can be really challenging. Here is a short description from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poker_run Do a google search for more info on poker runs.

A poker run is a variant on a scavenger hunt and the key is to make the navigation of the course challenging, though not impossible. You also need to ensure that speeding is not a factor to success. A predetermined route is designed with a container of cards at number of stops. You give the participants clues to the course, but not a map. Clues to the next stop can be left with the cards, or just given to the participants.

Since the participants can collect more than five cards (presuming that you have more than five stops), they randomly pick five envelops for the poker hand.
Use non-see through envelops for the cards and ensure that they have not been opened.

I agree with Frank that the motorcycle and drinking event is stupid. Motorcycles and alcohol should never mix.

Have fun.

Greg
 
Glad to hear the booze part is not always part of a poker run. We frequently see poker run groups in our local Wal-Mart parking lot. Sadly, sober they ain't. My family was once 'treated' to the spectacle of a group of bikers when we were in a remote camp ground trying to enjoy a quiet weekend. Loud bikes, open sex, cussing, etc. They told me they were at the end of a poker run. At one point I mentioned to my wife that all that was missing was an expensive white sports car with a drug dealer. Not fifteen minutes later a white Corvette with Florida license plates (we were camping in Missouri) came up and openly sold a lot of drugs. They didn't personally bother us and actually in their drunken, slurred way, spoke to us an a friendly manner. Still wasn't what I wanted my kids exposed to. BTW, I had a loaded pistol at hand all times they were there. Ned, if yours is done right, and I'm sure it will be, this might be a way to bring in new, younger, folks to Masonry. We need to open the doors to more men of morality. Good luck with your event.
 
Ned, it's been a lot of years since I ran one, but you could set it up similar to an auto road rallye, with routes to follow to checkpoints (you'd need at least 5 for a "poker run"), distribute cards at each checkpoint, then at the end do whatever. That way, all you'd need at each checkpoint would be water or soft drinks, and save any stronger libations for the end and the party.

Just a suggestion. If you've ever run a road rallye, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Nancy (79 days)
 
Ned, you guys getting tired of the pancake breakfasts and fish frys? That seems to be the norm around here for fund raisers....one local Lodge started making and selling Pasties ( a Upper Peninsula favorite meal ) and is doing very well with it. They have a night set aside each month and get a very big attendance from the whole community.

Been in on a poker run or two....they didn't involve alchohol unless you brought your own.
 
Steve,
My lodge still does the fish fry every Lenten season, and man is it a huge hit! We also do the occasional Pancake b'fast too. This isn't at the lodge level, but rather at the district level. Our goal is to have a computer/camera/printer/scanner rig at every lodge, so that when the need arises, we have our own unit and can at 'worst' borrow a unit from a near by lodge vs contacting the state level and getting one or more of theirs for a child ID program. This is so we can better service the community's needs. We'd like to be able to send in 4 or 5 units with brothers to run them and ID an entire school's worth of children every couple of years.
 
Ned, check with your GL, see if they are like Michigans aparently they (Mich. GL ) have some extra computers that can be used for needs such as you describe, it might be worth checking into if you haven't already done so.
 
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