Link to Registration Form: Poker Run 2024 Registration & Payment
Each year the KAPOA Poker Run raises funds for the purchase of crucial medical equipment required by the St. Francis Memorial Hospital in Barry’s Bay, Ontario. St. Francis Memorial provides emergency services to residents, cottagers and visitors to the area numbering in excess of 10,000 people during the summer months. The demand for funding emergency equipment is a constant need, either to purchase new types of equipment using new technologies or replacing older equipment. Purchasing this equipment is not covered by provincial government sources and becomes a local responsibility. Last year we raised an incredible $37,000 thanks to the generous support of this community, this money was used to purchase a baby isolette as well as other needed medical equipment.
This year’s event goal will be to raise $28,000 to be used to help purchase telemetry capabilities in the Emergency Department. This event will help to contribute to the $65,000 purchase price of this equipment. The use of telemetry capabilities in the hospital’s Emergency Department will allow a patient to have their vital signs monitored wirelessly thus giving them the ability to move more easily from a bed, to a chair, to a different room, or, to visit the restroom without first having to disconnect wires. Presently, the Emergency Department does not have this in place meaning that patients are tethered to their locations by the monitoring wires.
New for this year, the 2024 Poker Run will be held on Saturday July 27th starting at the Barry’s Bay boat launch at 1pm and finishing at Hinterland Beach by 4pm, where a BBQ and celebration will be held (stay tuned for details). The cost for a boat entry will be $200 per boat, or, if you can’t make the date in person, you can enter a virtual boat and your poker hand will be drawn randomly for you by the organizers. If neither of these options are available to you, you can make a donation to the Poker Run and it will be pooled with monies raised towards achieving our community goal. Entry fees and donations are eligible for a tax receipt issued to each person by the Foundation.
The event allows for a relaxing ride around Kamaniskeg Lake, Blackfish Bay and along the Madawaska River and is the perfect way to see the area and meet others from the community, while raising funds for a great cause. Participants are expected to follow all the rules for safe boating to make this an enjoyable day for all and will be provided with maps of the dock locations which will be reviewed with the participants at registration. There will be 7 docks, the last at Hinterland Beach, where your team’s poker hand is turned in. Boats start at the boat launch and move from one dock to another in any order and at each dock draw a card. Once the cards are turned in to event organizers all entries are reviewed (virtual and in person) and the 3 best poker hands are eligible for prizes, 1st prize – $750; 2nd prize – $500; 3rd prize- $250.
We had hoped to bring back the second annual Bike Poker Run to be held in parallel with the boating event this year, but due to the challenges associated with insuring such an event, it will not be held. We will continue to evaluate options to expand the excitement of this day going forward.
This year’s event will include recognition of the most festive dock with a possible required theme for the festivities (voted on by the participants) and best/festive boat (voted on by the dock hosts). Several sponsors have stepped up to help offset the cost of hosting the event. Please consider entering at Poker Run 2024 Registration & Payment before June 22nd to be eligible for our early bird prize (to be announced).
