A little rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of local motorcyclists participating in Peterborough’s first-ever United on the Highway Poker Run on Saturday morning (August 26) to raise funds for United Way Peterborough & District.
Originally scheduled for July 15 but postponed because of inclement weather, the event went ahead rain or shine on Saturday, with riders and their bikes gathering in the parking lot of the VentureNorth building in downtown Peterborough between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. to register for the event in advance of an 11 a.m. departure for the poker run.
A poker run is a fundraising event, where participants — often riding motorcycles — must visit five to seven checkpoints within a specified amount of time, drawing a playing card at each one. The objective is to collect the best poker hand at the end of the run to win prizes.
The United on the Highway Poker Run was organized by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), in partnership with Cogeco and the United Way. Peterborough DBIA executive director Terry Guiel , who is a motorcycle enthusiast himself, came up with the idea.
“The best fundraisers are the ones that are interactive and fun for everyone involved,” Guiel said in a media release. “People have been very excited about being able to play this classic game while exploring downtown Peterborough and the Kawartha.”
“I thought this would be a unique way to mix my passions for the downtown, motorcycles, and also raising money for amazing local organizations in our community.”
Some of the prizes for the United on the Highway Poker Run including $500 and $1,000 worth of motorcycle-related items, along with a downtown shopping spree and more. Prizes were donated by sponsors including Lafarge, Euphoria Wellness Spa, Liftlock Cruises, Classy Chassis, Team VanRahan Century 21, Cogeco, Sink or Swim Tattoos, and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism.
Proceeds from the event will support United Way Peterborough & District.
“When the rubber hits the road, kind hearts and strong passions for community are even more revved up,” said United Way CEO Jim Russell. “We are so grateful to Terry and the team at the DBIA for driving this event, and for helping build a more resilient Peterborough. Bikers are very giving people and we want to thank everyone who (attended) and who generously donated a prize.”
