by Guillaume Laflamme
Shawille
Apr. 6, 2024
Members of Pontiac’s Quad Club spent Saturday chasing down five different playing cards stashed at businesses staggered throughout an almost 200-kilometre loop with the hopes of compiling a winning poker hand.
Over 80 all-terrain vehicles, collectively carrying almost 150 people, participated in the fourth annual Big Wow Poker Run. This year’s event was a fundraiser for local food bank Bouffe Pontiac.
Diane Barrette, administrator for the quad club and one of the organizers for the event, was happy to see so many people turn out.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever had that many [people]. So it’s something that we are very proud of,” Barrette said.
The poker run included a 193-kilometre looped trail through part of the Pontiac region which started and ended at the Shawville arena.
While exploring the trail, drivers stopped at four different locations throughout the region to collect a playing card sealed in an envelope. The stops included Dépanneur Marcotte in Quyon, Malivia Restaurant in Wolf Lake, Hotel Ladysmith, and Scooters Bar and Grill in Otter Lake.
Barrette explained that the stops also served the purpose of helping the local economy by promoting local businesses.
“We like to put forward all the business and bring them [around] so that they know where the restaurants are, [and] where the gas stations are.”
Once all five cards had been collected, including one at the start, the participants returned to the arena where a spaghetti dinner awaited them and where they would open their envelopes, revealing a five-card poker hand.
The first place prize of $500 was awarded to Paul Morin, who collected a winning hand of four aces and an eight. The $300 prize for second place went to Terry Young, and Mike “The Pike” Whitlock won the third place prize of $200.
Morin, who is from Limoges, Ont. said he is probably going to use the money to refill the gas tank of his truck.
The event, which also featured 50/50 draws for dozens of prizes, was a success according to Barrette, who said it raised $1,500 for Bouffe Pontiac. The money is set to be donated later this week.
