Blind Poker Crawl IV slated for Dec. 3
The Blind Poker Crawl IV will take place soon at a handful of stops in the South Cape.
Organized by the Florida Council of the Blind, the event will kick off at noon on Dec. 3 at Cork Soakers Deck and Wine Bar. The participants will “crawl” to Ralph’s Place, Chicago Pizza, The Dek Bar and then wrap up at Ford’s Garage by 6:30 p.m. At each stop, they are given a playing card.
The participant with the best five-card hand at the end will win a cash prize.
“It’s a lot of fun and it does bring awareness to blind pedestrians,” organizer Mike Ulrich said. “And it’s a good way for the sighted public to see blind people are just like anybody else – they just can’t see.”
The blind, as well as the sighted, are invited to sign up for the crawl.
The sighted participants will be given a blindfold and either a sighted guide or a white cane.
“This is a great way for, literally, the sighted to come out and walk in our shoes for the day,” he said.
Ulrich noted that the sighted participants must wear the blindfold the whole time.
“It’s like what the blind go through on a day-to-day basis,” he said.
At each stop, tickets will be sold for a 50/50 drawing. The proceeds of the drawings will benefit the FCB’s Annual Blind Fishing Tournament. Marking its sixth year, the tourney will take place in March.
“We have volunteers that go through the crowd and sell tickets,” Ulrich said.
The 50/50s are open to the public; you do not have to be a crawl participant to buy tickets.
“We also have some other prizes to give out,” he said.
Alternating between stops, the person to pull the highest – or lowest – card wins.
“It’s various restaurant gift cards throughout the Cape,” Ulrich said.
Last year, nearly 20 people took part in the crawl.
“We brought in a total of $225 for the Blind Fishing Tournament,” he said.
The Annual Blind Fishing Tournament provides blind people with an opportunity to go fishing on a boat.
The first year of the tourney, a blind woman who had never fished in her life won first place.
There is a $10 entry fee to take part in the crawl.
Reservations are requested by Saturday Nov. 26.
“We’ll also accept late registrations,” Ulrich said.
To register, contact Mike Ulrich at 239-540-7431 or 239-565-5845, or at mulrich@centurylink.net.
Cork Soakers Deck and Wine Bar is at 837 S.E. 47th Terrace.
Ralph’s Place is at 1305 E. Cape Coral Parkway.
Chicago Pizza is at 1341 S.E. 47th Terrace.
The Dek Bar is at 4704 S.E. 15th Ave.
Ford’s Garage is at 1719 E. Cape Coral Parkway.