Great Calusa Poker Run this Sunday in St. James City
The annual Great Calusa Poker Run will take place Sunday in St. James City for those who would like to take a chance at drawing a lucky hand and winning a cash prize of $1,000.
Ron Wesorick said organizers have held the Poker Run for 15 years with the Pine Island Boat Club, which originally started the event.
“The Boat Club said we should do this to help out the Land Trust,” Wesorick said, and the event has continued to be a joint effort between the two ever since.
This year the Great Calusa Poker Run will take place Sunday, Dec. 2.
Wesorick said although there is no timetable for the event, individuals can start anytime after 8 a.m. He said the important thing is to be back at Woody’s Waterside by 3 p.m. for the selection of the winner, who will be announced at 3:30 p.m.
“We go through all the cards and see who has the winning poker hand,” Wesorick said.
Winners do not need to be present to win.
The best poker hand will win $1,000 with $350 going to second place and $150 for third place.
Bikers, walkers, runners, drivers, kayakers or boaters, as well as golf cart drivers, are all invited to take part in the event. There are six dealer locations around Pine Island Sound and St. James City where individuals have to take their ticket(s). The seventh and final card will be drawn at Woody’s Waterside.
The locations where cards will be drawn for bikers, walkers, drivers or boaters include 4111 Galt Island Avenue; 2063 Macadamia Lane; Ragged Ass Saloon; 3047 Skipper Lane; Waterfront Restaurant; 2276 Carambola and Woody’s Waterside.
The locations where cards will be drawn for boaters include Long Cut; Pine Island Shores 2063 Macadamia Lane; Chino Island; Blind Pass; Jensens Marina on Captiva Island; Green Flash Restaurant on Captiva Island and Woody’s Waterside.
Wesorick said they usually sell about 1,200 tickets for the poker run. Tickets will still available at Woody’s Waterside early in the morning the day of the race In years past, he said they have sold out of the 1,200 tickets that are made available for the event.
After the poker race is completed, he said there are typically 200-300 people who stay at Woody’s for the final drawing of the cards.
“If we get a nice day, everybody just loves it,” Wesorick said. “It is always fun to get out on a nice day and go from spot to spot.”
Wesorick said all those who do not place first through third can throw their tickets into a barrel for a losers drawing. One hundred dollars will go towards the lucky ticket for the losers drawing. The winner must be present.
The Great Calusa Poker Run and the Duck Race, he said, are the two biggest fund-raisers for the Calusa Land Trust.
“I think that is why a lot of people support it,” Wesorick said. “A lot of people will buy the tickets because it is a donation to the Land Trust.”
For information, call Ken Pleat at 615-562-0052 or Wesorick at 239-283-7249.