I realize it seems like just yesterday I was bombarding you with posts about the poker run, it is time to start the planning again.

The date will be August 18th. The route and hopefully the checkpoints will be the same as last year. The event once again will be held at Mt Washington Resort.

In the past, the island owners have all kicked in $25.00 towards the downpayment of the facilities up at Mt Washington and I would like to as if you can do that again this year if at all possible. The reason that we do this is to compensate for those that attend the event and have to take a ferry to the island and probably an extra night in a hotel. This money goes directly to paying for the facilities and the staff at Mt Washington. They normally charge a $500.00 deposit with an end cost of $1,500.00. However Mt Washington offers us a special deal of $500.00 downpayment and that is it..., that is all we pay with the exception of the fine food that they prepair for us.

I would also like to ask for some help this year with the planning. If you have some spare time I certainly could use some assistance. Things like contacting last years sponsors to see if they are interested in sponsoring the event again this year. Someone to take on perhaps some advertising? Whatever you can do.

If you are able to throw in the $25.00, the downpayment is due right away. Please if you can fire me an email or PM me and we can meet up. If your coming out to the cruise on March 25th that would be a good time as well. This event is sponsored by the Island S2000 Owners and I would like to keep it that way.

In our first year we raised $2,800.00, last year we managed to raise $4,000.00. This years goal is $5,000.00. Please help me to ensure the success of this event once again!



Thanks in advance

 

So far Courtney Honda is back as a checkpoint...,

 

I have all the checkpoints confirmed now. I need to get the cheque up to Mt Washington for a deposit. Any of you island owners that are planning to attend this event, if you can get your $25.00 to me ASAP that would be greatly appreciated.

For those of you that are new, I ask the island owners to donate $25.00 to help me pay for the facilities up at Mt Washington. This keeps the price of admission down for those people not on the island who have to pay for a ferry and hotel for this event. Please contact me to arrange getting me the donations...,

Thanks in advance.

 

i think im going to be in holland for a family reunion

 

Too bad Mike. The car would wail up Mt Washington.

 

What is a Poker Run? Since I have been asked I thought I would basically explain a Poker run and how it works.

A Poker run is a rally that doesn't have anything to do with speed. Everyone starts from the same location and either travels as a group or single and heads to a common ending point (in our case Mt Washington Resort in the Comox Valley). Along the route there are checkpoints that each vehicle must get to. You are supplied with a detailed map but none of the locations are hard to find. For those that know the island they can take off as a single or as a group and head whatever way they wish. Those that don't know the island and want to have more of the scenic tour can go with another group that will have some local owners and we will take the ocean routes to the checkpoints.

At each checkpoint will be a deck of cards. Each car selects a card. If you don't like the card you get, you can pre-purchase "mulligan" tickets which allow you to exchange the card at the checkpoint and return the card you first selected. Mulligan tickets are purchased at the start of the event and you can only purchase 3 tickets. Of course you "draw" a card you don't get to see what it is until after you have it in your hand.

Once you get to the finish you should have 7 cards. From those cards you make the best Poker hand you can and submit it to the event people. We have a nice sit down dinner at Mt Washington Resort (last year was Carved Roast Beef and Chicken Cordon Bleu with a great selection of salads and other nice things). During the dinner you are encouraged to purchase tickets for the silent auction items with all proceeds going to Camp Shawnigan. After dinner we award the silent auction items and we then award prize money to the 1st, and 2nd, and 3rd place card hands.

After that we have the bar and the facilities until midnight.

Most of the participants will stay on the Mountain in various accommodations that are available. Participants of the Poker Run do get a special rate on the Mountain. It is also possible to attend the festivities and still make it down to Nanaimo to catch the ferry to the mainland, should staying overnight not be an option. The next day we normally cruise back to Victoria as a group stopping someplace for lunch. This year it is proposed that we may include a further 'sight seeing' tour further up the island, before making our way back.

Any questions, don't hesitate to PM me or fire me an email at dave.donovan@elocas.com

Thanks and I hope you can make it out to this worthwhile event.

 

OK all the checkpoints have been confirmed:

Starting Point ==> BC Systems building on corner of Seymor Place and Cloverdale (9:30 start).
ChkPnt #1 ==> Campus Honda (Victoria)
ChkPnt #2 ==> Discovery Honda (Duncan)
ChkPnt #3 ==> Nanaimo Honda (Nanaimo)
ChkPnt #4 ==> Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort (Parksville)
ChkPnt #5 ==> French Creek House Resort (Parksville)
ChkPnt #6 ==> Arrowsmith Golf and Country Club (Quallicum Beach)
ChkPnt #7 ==> Island Honda (Courtney)
Finish Point ==> Mt Washington Resort (Alpine Villiage, Comox Valley)

Thanks to all the businesses donating their time to help out with the event.

 

What is Camp Shawnigan? I have been asked by a few interested people, what is Camp Shawnigan.

Camp Shawnigan is the recipient of all proceeds from the Japanese Import Poker Run. I selected Camp Shawnigan for two reasons

1) The kids
2) The kids parents.

But what is Camp Shawnigan? Well the camp is run by The British Columbia Lions Society under the Easter Seals program. It is one of a few specialized overnight camps for children with Disabilities. Not only does this camp provide some form of normality for the kids that go there, but it also offers the parents a well deserved break. Allowing a disabled child to attend summer camp and putting a smile on the face of that child is what the Poker Run is all about.

On average it takes $2,300.00 to send a disable child to camp for one week. The camp has specialized staff that can address the needs of each child on an individual basis. They schedule activates that are challenging and fun. They allow the kids to be kids and for a brief week in the child’s life, they help make that child smile and make that child experience what so many of us take for advantage.

Find below a link to the Camp Shawnigan web site and read about all the wonderful work that they do. If we can get together and have some fun and raise money for the great cause, then we all win.

http://www.eastersealscamps.ca/camp-shawnigan

Thanks for helping me to help the Kids! If you can attend, please do, it truly is a wonderful, fun event with an excellent cruise, great prizes and raffle items, fantastic dinner in a wonderful mountain resort, and some truly great people. I hope to see you there.

Importmeet.com has been helping to sponsor the event and has offered hosting of a registration form for this event. That form will be open on April 14th, for participants to register for the event. I will announce when the form is ready.

Have a great day !
Dave

 

The registration form is complete and is being hosted with Importmeet.com. They are sponsors of the event and have agreed to host the registration form. Importmeet.com has nothing to do with hosting the event itself or are they part of the organization team, they are just helping out the import meet community by offering me a space to host the registration form,although they will be attending the event this year. Big thanks to Matt at Importmeet.com for all his help.

You can find the registration form here:

Japanese Imports Poker Run Registration Form



Please sign up early ...,

 

We have started to firm up some details for the Poker Run this year. All checkpoints have been set (see above posting). We also now have some of the sponsorship items coming in. The Honda Way in Abbotsford has donated a week in Whistler trip. Discovery Honda in Duncan will once again be providing us with a BBQ. Mt Washington will again be providing us with ski and tubing passes.

I have also contacted Mt Washington administration, and they have once again graciously offered us a discount on accommodations.

Lodge room in Deer for $99 + taxes
Range is $99-$189 (3 bedroom)

"Best to call
250-338-4383 or toll free 1-877-845-4499, and please ask them to be
consistent with who they say they are with - I think last year we had a
few different names floating around. Poker Run participant?"
Our discount code is "POKER".

Many sponsors have signed on but have not provided a list of what they are going to supply. They include Saunders Subaru, Island Honda, Nanaimo Honda, French Creek Resort, Sunrise Ridge Resort, Arrowsmith Golf and Country, WindRestrictor, and some others.

The Registration is going very well. Would like to see more local people signing up and thanks to those of you that have to take a ferry to get here. I realize that certainly adds to the cost and I am doing everything I can to keep costs as low as possible for you.