1,000 Islands Charity Poker Run Set Up To Be Another Winner

Heading into its eighth year, the 1,000 Islands Charity Poker Run in Clayton, N.Y., is five boats north of the 100-entry mark. A less-than-one-minute walk from the sold-out poker-run docks, the 1,000 Islands Harbor Hotel—the delightful host venue for the July 18-20 event—ran out of rooms long ago.

Mystic Powerboats is among the event’s returning backers. Photos by Jeff Helmkamp copyright Helmkamp Photos.

“We could consider adding sponsor boats if their owners had their own lodging and docking,” said Renee Lalonde, one of the original members of the poker run’s organizing committee that includes her husband, Ken. “It is a charity event, after all.”

On the sponsor front, the event is equally robust with Mercury Racing as its title backer and Aqua-Mania, the G3 Offshore Race Team and Kimco Steel Sales as its presenting sponsors. Diamond-level sponsors include Statement Marine and Vendetta Marine, an AMP and Statement dealer based in Ontario, Canada. Among the Platinum-level sponsors are the Lalonde’s own Five Star Tool Company, Montroy Development, Riverside Site and Landscaping, and several others.

The street exhibit and celebration event will once again take over Riverside Drive on Thursday night.

And those are but three of the event’s multi-tiered sponsorship levels. The run has a total mix of more than 80 of new and returning backers. A sunset boat cruise on the St. Lawrence River for sponsors is set for Wednesday, July 17, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Returning with added displays and the latest Mercury Racing tour truck, the Block Party on Riverside Drive will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be complemented by a waterfront concert in Frink Park starting at 6 p.m. Open to the, public, the Thursday night celebration will continue at the 1,000 Islands Harbor Hotel with live music from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday’s powerboat rides for Make-A-Wish children are among the highlights of the weekend.

Rides for Make-A-Wish children and their families, one of the event’s most popular traditions, will happen the following morning and will be based out of the Clayton Harbor Municipal Marina docks.

Last but very far from least is Saturday’s main event on the idyllic waterway, followed that evening by a dinner celebration, live auction and Make-A-Wish granting-presentation.

Said Tom Stuart of MTI, a longtime 1,000 Islands Charity Poker Run sponsor, in a Speed On The Water/Scrapyard Media documentary on the event, “The waters here are beautiful, the people here are beautiful. It’s one (event) that is going to be on our list for many years to come.”

(From left) 1,000 Charity Poker Run organizing committee members Bobby Cantwell, Renee and Ken Lalonde, Alexandra Buduson, Jeff Morgan, Courtney Rutherford and Dave Montroy are ready to produce another exceptional event.

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