LIWITW POKER RUN FOR SAIRA
Sept 23, 2000
Since so many members of our chapter planned and participated in our Poker Run for Saira, it’s only fair to dedicate this page to those women…
Our planning meetings began in May, with only five members showing up; attendance was similar the next two meetings. Naturally, with those numbers, we were a little nervous thinking of how we would pull this off. But those women who attended the very first meetings were literally the support and foundation for the whole event.
With Gail as the Fundraising Coordinator, close to 150 items were collected, due to hundreds (over 350) e-mails, faxes, and in-person efforts. Thank-yous, donation lists and correspondences were completed only because of her assistance. The women who all went to different stores, businesses, and friends all did a great job also of collecting items, gift certificates, (Liz even secured a radio station to come by…not an easy feat).
Diane S. worked countless hours riding the roads of the North Shore, creating a run that was not only safe and scenic, but also full of challenging turns. She had to call and write to over 30 small villages the week of the run to make sure they knew we were coming through. Vicki and Chris double-checked the same route the week of the run, the night before putting up arrows and signs, then running it again the day of the run. (Diane did the run BACKWARDS) the day of the run to make sure all was well, also.
Our Chief Copy-Person, Camille, ran off hundreds of copies; run flyers, agenda sheets, and other items and also designed the poker sheet and the bike contest sheet. She also secured the DJ, Joey, of You Are the Star Productions, spent four hours waiting for the guy who had the grills one night, and even brought a mini freezer on her truck the day of the run!
Flyer distribution was terrific. One day Tina rode all around Nassau County just to do that. She, Connie and Sandee went to Bellmore to give flyers out also. Other members went to dealers and shops and made sure the supply did not run out.
Food planning committee was quietly done behind the scenes, with Laura leading all the women, Janice, Vil, Bern, Angie, Camille in cooking that day…Laura was the only one who volunteer for this enormous and difficult task, which, at one meeting was the largest job no one wished to commit.
The night before the run, Barbara L. came over with her bubbly enthusiasm, and easels, bulletin boards decorated with poker cards, and containers for the raffle tickets.
Thanks to Alice and her nurse, Hope, who literally gave us the "hope" that Saira would be there the day of the run.
Saira managed to "get lost", roaming all over, viewing the bikes, meeting people and generally socializing and showing her incredible personality to us all. Thanks also, to Warren L. who gave Alice the motorcycle ride she was so looking forward to.
Manna created the original Poker Run T-shirt design, which we all love, and look great in the photos. Pete, of Pete-e-Pete’s cakes enlarged the design as a 3’ X 3’ cake, bringing tears to our eyes as, the moment Barbara L. took it out of her station wagon the day of the run.
Sign-up tables were manned; Sandee and Linda took care of WITW Waivers; Barbara the registration $; Connie and Carol with AMA waivers Cat in charge of run packets; Anne persistently and consistently encouraging people to buy additional cards at the poker hand table; and Lisa L cheerfully went strolling around with a sign to buy raffle tickets taped to her T-shirt.
Fundraising tables included Gail’s silent auction items and a Micky’s "donation table" where people could donate a specified amount as a donation, and receive an item valued at that amount.
Run stops can be the most frustrating job for the day of the run, but those who volunteered, did so with much enthusiasm. Nancy, Robyn, Carol C., Tina, Barbara L., and Ellen M. (who also brought water to the first stop), unselfishly gave of their time, just making it back to the park for the final awards. Luckily, we were able to get a group photo of all the women who helped; unfortunately, Connie’s friend Carol was hidden behind everyone in all the shots. Carol, who is not even a member, had been to the very first meetings we held. And don’t think we didn’t notice it, Carol!
Poker sheets were tallied up by Gerry W. Ronnie (since none of us knew our hands well enough to figure that out), Cat figured out a scientific way to tally the bike show votes on her computer, and Connie and Carol figured out the best represented groups. Plaques were handed out to the winners.
As the rain began to get serious and our guests left, all the women and our men folk who were still there, who stayed behind until the end to clean up the site, loading the cars and trailers. We even solved the problem of the open water, selling any extra drinks, or food to our members, so Laura would not have to go to the stores and return things. Overall, it was a very successful event, with memories of that day still coming back in e-mail and when we run into those who attended.
UPDATE ON SAIRA
Above is Saira, with the thank-you note she wrote. Soon afterwards, in November, Saira had to undergo a spinal fusion. She has since recovered, below is a Jan ’01 E-mail excerpt from Alice, filling us in:
"Just a note to say hello and fill you in on Saira's progress. Last trip to Albany Wednesday was good. Dr. Carl is pleased with his work and her healing but she still cannot go back to school for at least another month or maybe more. He is taking one month at a time while her bones heal. The incision is closed beautifully, and she is as feisty as ever. She is dancing a lot lately with her lips and eyebrows, what a trip she is. The school is going to get her another computer since they don't want her playing games on the one that she uses for classes. I said fine get her another one then and call it her recreation place. To my amazement they agreed!"