Poker Run – Annette Foley and Leonie Woodall from Can Assist.
The Junee Poker Run went throughout our readership area on the weekend, highlighting the great little towns we have under the South West Slopes Times banner and the circuit throughout the region, ending with a Blues Night at the Junee Showgrounds.
The event has been built bigger and better each year, with countless volunteers ensuring its success.
The Junee Poker Run raises money for Can Assist and takes participants across the region, this time to Coota, Harden, Jugiong, and Gundagai to different pubs where they collect a playing card. Best hand at the end of the night wins. The day ends with a Blues Night performance from local and bands from afar with delicious food served by Can Assist who collect proceeds and are awaiting a final donation from the Poker Run Committee.
President Tony Fitzgerald said, “I personally thought it might have been down a little bit due to the heat, but I don’t think we were, so we have done very well. There were 360-370 sign ons.
“There will be a lot of money going to Can Assist, more so too the money we never really sit down and work out what money goes to the town on the weekend with all the accommodation, food and the fuel and all that stuff that everyone brings into town on top of what we raise.
“The ride itself went really well. It went to Coota, Harden, Jugiong (for lunch), Gundagai and back home to Junee. It was a good ride. It was warm, but it wasn’t too bad. It was very successful.
“The Blues night went very well. There was quitea few people up there with three good bands. We had a local one who were good, then Bill Barbour and the Holding Cell from Melbourne, who were also excellent, and then capped the night off with RadioVelvet.
“I’ve had nothing but good reports about everything – how well we run it. With the team running it over the last ten years, we’ve made it very successful.
We’ve built it up really well. People can still support the cause through shirt purchasers as they were highly popular on the night.
“We have about 50 people who have ordered, so others can go to our Facebook page and there’s a form and they can fill that out and we can order some more.”
Can Assist Junee President, Fiona Rynehart said, “The Poker Run was as big or bigger than last year. We got smashed at breakfast with double the amount of bacon and egg rolls that we did last year.
“Lunch was at Jugiong and we got them all fed there and then they got on their bikes again and got back to Junee with casseroles and lamb and gravy rolls and sausages with salad if they wanted that too.”
“We had 35-40 volunteers for Can Assist and we are looking at making as much money or a bit more than we did last year. We will make a profit of over $5000.”
“That is our biggest fundraiser for the year and we get a donation from the Poker Run committee, which is our major fundraiser for the year. We drew the $1500 Flight Centre raffle and the $500 fuel voucher and you wouldn’t believe it, two people from Junee won first and second.
“It just goes to show how many people in Junee buy raffle tickets off Can Assist when they are selling them at Ex-Services Club or out the front of Junee Super IGA.
“It was a very busy day. I started just after 6:00am it was a big day. It was very warm, that was the only thing, but you have to expect that in the summer time.
“We are very grateful for the wonderful volunteers that helped out.
“That was the 20th Anniversary, and we are very fortunate to have such a great community.”
-Jack Murray
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