The Estevan Art Gallery and Museum is putting a different spin on a couple types of fundraisers that have proven popular in the Estevan area.
The organization will host a five-kilometre poker-run walk on Aug. 19 at the Woodlawn Regional Park. The event starts at 9 a.m. It brings together the concept of a fundraising run/walk and a poker derby.
Director Amber Andersen said participants will be handed a card every kilometre.
“People will pick up the card, and then at the end of the race, the last card will be the river card,” said Andersen. “When the race is completely finished at 10 a.m., that’s when we will see who has the highest or the best hand, if you will.”
The people with the best hands will select from the prizes.
Since the prizes will be awarded to the best poker hands, it will be a non-competitive run and walk, she said. Andersen encourages those who aren’t avid runners to participate.
“This is for everybody,” she said.
The EAGM has had some people register already. Participants will pay a registration fee, rather than collect pledges. Registrations will be accepted until shortly before the walk begins.
Andersen said one of the EAGM’s board members, Kathryn Gilliss, came up with the idea for the fundraiser. Gilliss participates in the various walks and runs around the community, and Andersen believes this will be a fun take on the conventional poker derby.
“We are always trying, especially with the board with their fundraising ideas, to try things that are unique in the hopes of reaching out to people who maybe haven’t heard of us, or don’t know what we’re about,” said Andersen.
“This is a way to get them interested, and maybe find out that we have a gallery here, that we have a museum here, and that we’re always doing different events to attract different audiences.”
The money raised at the poker derby will be directed towards the EAGM’s programming and the maintenance of its building.
