Veterans Poker Run motorcycle event to raise money for military vets

BULLHEAD CITY – Helping military veterans in need in the tri-state area is the goal of a scenic 80-mile round-trip motorcycle ride through the Colorado River valley on April 27 as the Veterans Poker Run returns for its tenth year during Larry Topping’s Mayhem Motorcycle Rally, April 25-28. Entrants have a chance to win prizes by collecting playing cards for a poker hand along the way, with all proceeds from the event benefiting River Fund Inc.’s Veterans Assistance Fund, helping military veterans in need in the Colorado River region.
The entry fee is $35 for each rider and includes a meal ticket and t-shirt. Passengers can sign up, too, for an additional $15, which includes a meal ticket. The annual event is presented in conjunction with the Mayhem Motorcycle Rally, April 25-28 in Bullhead City, Ariz., and Laughlin, Nev.
The Veterans Poker Run starts at 8 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, in the center of Bullhead City and winds south along Highway 95 and County Route 1 through Topock and Golden Shores, then across the river to Needles and back up to Laughlin. Riders will make five stops at designated locations where they will receive a single playing card. All cards must be turned in by 3:30 p.m. and prizes will be awarded based on the best poker hands.
The ride begins at the Bullhead City Moose Lodge on Miracle Mile, with a pancake breakfast provided for each entry before riders hit the road. The designated card return location is the Aquarius Casino Resort in Laughlin, where prizes will be awarded for the best hands. Sponsorships are available and prize donations are welcome. The list of playing-card pickup locations will be provided to riders at the beginning of the event.
Online registration is available now on the Mayhem Motorcycle Rally website at https://mayheminfo.com/vets. Advance entries receive an event t-shirt along with a meal ticket, and entries will also be accepted on the day of the event with t-shirts available while supplies last.
The Veterans Poker Run is part of the Mayhem Motorcycle Rally, which includes vendors and live entertainment at Bullhead Community Park Thursday through Sunday, April 25-28, and the popular Ink Mayhem Tattoo Convention at Aquarius Casino Resort.
“The tattoo convention is a very popular event every year, we’ve been doing it since 2008,” said Larry Topping, longtime local tattoo artist and the event’s promoter. “We’ll have over 100 tattoo artists here for four days, they’ll be tattooing 24 hours a day. Admission is free and we’ll be doing raffles, prize drawings and auctions each day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.”
Other events during the Mayhem Motorcycle Rally including entertainment, food, vendors, motorcycle competitions and a bike show at Bullhead Community Park with headliner bands including Bullhead City’s own Savage Kat on Thursday, Stoney Curtis Band on Friday and Sweet Home Alabama on Saturday. The Mayhem Charity Poker Run is set for April 26th with proceeds going to multiple charities, including River Fund, Inc. For more information on rally events, visit https://mayheminfo.com.
“We’re looking forward to the return of motorcyclists to the area at the end of April and appreciate their continuing support of our veterans programs,” said Mike Conner, president and CEO of River Fund Inc. “Our Veterans Assistance Fund allows us to help military veterans with a variety of needs, including housing, utilities, transportation, prescription medication and other necessities. We’re proud to be able to offer help to the men and women who served our country in the U.S. armed force and we really appreciate the support Larry Topping and of the Mayhem Motorcycle Rally to help us raise much-needed funds for this program.”
River Fund has impacted more than 80,000 lives with immediate emergency crisis and hardship assistance totaling more than $3.7 million since its inception in 2010. Utility assistance is River Fund’s top request, with other basic needs covered including rent, food, temporary shelter, medical and pharmaceutical needs, vehicle and appliance repairs, work cards, birth certificates and identification cards and similar issues. Major problems such as homelessness, domestic violence, cancer, memory loss, veterans’ assistance and disaster assistance caused by fire or water damage also remain top priorities at River Fund, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit.
For more information or to make a contribution to the organization, visit River Fund’s website at https://riverfundinc.com or call (702) 298-0611 in Laughlin or (928) 704-0039 in Bullhead City. River Fund offices are located at 55 Civic Way in Laughlin and 1343 Hancock Road in Bullhead City. The office is open for client assistance from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Fridays in Bullhead City and 9 a.m. through 1 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays in Laughlin.
Per Nevada statute, River Fund, Inc., a Nevada 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in June 2010, accepts contributions and donations which may be deductible pursuant to the provisions of Section 170.c of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. 170.c . RFI’s tax exempt ID is #27-2937370.