The sixth annual Justen Caris Memorial Poker Run will be held on Sept. 9. Proceeds will benefit The Little Blessings Veteran Outreach Program.
Justen Caris was a combat engineer, and after his second deployment in Afghanistan, he took his own life, leaving behind a devastated family that questioned the efficacy of traditional PTSD programs for veterans.
For the past six years, this event in his honor has grown, with many different organizations helping to raise awareness for PTSD.
“It seems to get just a little bit bigger. And then every year we’ve kind of picked up more sponsors, which has helped a lot to be able to create more proceeds for the benefactors. …” said Noah Caris, Justen’s brother. “So the benefactors over the years have always been veteran-centered organizations. This year, the beneficiary is The Little Blessings Veteran Outreach, who provides equine therapy free of charge for veterans.”
This year’s event starts at 11 a.m. and stops all over the area, starting and ending at Sycamore Grove, 1980 Midleton Pike, Luckey. Stops include Silver Top, Jimmy Buckets, Limestone Tavern, and Snuffy’s.
“At 11 o’clock, everybody will leave Sycamore Grove, and we will all ride together to the first stop. There will be police escorts lined up. All the bikes and any cars that want to partake will ride to the first stop, which is Jimmy Buckets in Fremont. From there, it’s a poker run. At each stop, you draw a card, and until the poker run is over, we end back where it started at Sycamore Grove. You take your cards, present them, and whoever has the best poker hand wins the pot of money,” Noah Caris said.
After the poker run winner is declared, all participants will be rewarded with dinner and live music.
If interested in joining this memorial poker run, signups are closed, but walk-up participants are welcome the morning of the event from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The cost is $30 a person, with participants getting a T-shirt and poker hand.
