Join The 9th Annual Vets Helping Vets Poker Run In Southern Utah

It doesn’t take a lot of convincing to get me to take off and take a drive through the mountains around us here in Southern Utah.

With the craziness of the Memorial Day Weekend behind us and you needing just a little nudge to get up and enjoy some mountain air this weekend, I may just have the solution for you. And you can lend a helping hand to our area vets and have a chance at some cool prize money all at the same time.

This Saturday, June 1st is the ninth annual Vets Helping Vets Poker Run presented by the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) here in southern Utah. Charles Triplett, the Chapter Executive Officer of Chapter 49-4, and Lennie McConnell the Chapter 49-4 Commander of the Utah Chapter came on the radio to explain the purpose of the Poker Run and to invite the community to participate. 

One thing they wanted to emphasize was that you do not need to be on a motorcycle to join the poker run. “We want to include the whole community so they can come and enjoy it. I mean whatever you got come on a car, you know, truck, whatever. You're more than welcome to be there in any type of vehicle you want to be in,” McConnell told us.

Pre-registration has closed, but anyone interested in being a part of the poker run can sign up on the day of the event. Signups will take place from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.at Veterans Park at 200 North and 200 East. The registration fee is $40, and if you have a passenger it goes up to $50. 

And what will the run entail? “The way we run ours is you just draw a random chip out of a bag. We go through three different stops. We have a stop at Midway, basically the turn off to go up to Cedar breaks. And then over on Mammoth Creek Rd. there's a stop they're going to have,” McConnell explained and then continued with the rest of the route. “And then our last stop before we get that back down into town is at Brianhead at the Giant Steps parking lot there. And then you come back down in town and then what we do is everything you've drawn out for each one of the stops. Then we compile it all together and then we draw values for the chips that you draw out. And then whoever gets the highest point value, you win $500 and whoever gets the lowest point value, you win $300.00.” 

In addition to the cash prizes, drawings will be held for other prizes and you do not need to be present to win those prizes. The CVMA chapter will contact you if you are a winner. 

And again, this is not a motorcycle-exclusive event. “We’ve had people come and do it in cars and trucks. We’ve had some people bring out their family and do the route,” Triplett added.

The CVMA is a national organization that brings together veterans who share a passion for motorcycling and a commitment to supporting fellow veterans. Established in 2001, the CVMA is dedicated to serving and assisting veterans, particularly those who have experienced combat. Membership is open to all veterans who have served in combat zones, with auxiliary memberships available for family members and supporters. 

They are a registered 501-3c non-profit organization. 

Over their nine years of operating here in southern Utah, McConnell and Triplett estimate that Chapter 49-4 has donated some $150,000 to assist veterans here in the region.

You can get more information about the organization and the poker run by visiting their website at Utahcvma4.com. 

You can hear more about the poker run and some of the specific ways the chapter has helped area veterans by listening to the podcast of our visit below.