1000 Islands Charity Poker Run Accident
A couple of images from the morning leg of the 1,000 Islands Charity Poker Run on an MTI-V 42. 'It was great,' said Devin Wozencraft, a Southern California-based high-performance marine insurance man who ran his 30-foot Skater Powerboats catamaran as part of his 2018 'Wozencraft World Tour' in the event. If the morning portion of yesterday’s 1,000 Islands Charity Poker Run in Clayton, N.Y., was a relatively low-speed 60-mile tour—30 miles in each direction—of the St. Lawrence River, the 100-mile after-lunch portion—an extended version of the same course—gave participants with a need for higher speed a chance to pursue it.
Bobby Cantwell, Clayton, NY. President – 1000 Islands Charity Poker Run. VP and Owner at OVIA Insurance Agencies. Bobby is a Jefferson County Legislator, Thousand Islands Central School District Board Member and a 1000 Islands Emergency Rescue Service Committee Member. Bobby and his family are true River Rats living and playing in the 1000 Islands year round.
1000 Islands Charity Poker Run Accident Yesterday
Court Rutherford, Sylvan Beach and Alexandria Bay, NY. Vice President – 1000 Islands Charity Poker Run. President / CEO of 4 Green Power Systems. Court is a 3rd Generation 1000 Islands River Rat, has rental properties in Alexandria Bay, Central New York & Florida Gulf coast. He is a Former Fire Chief, Certified Master U.S. Coast Guard Captain , PADI Master Scuba Diver and served on town planning board for 8 years. Court and his wife Louise are avid 12 month boaters and in their spare time love to volunteer for multiple Charities an not for profits.
Alex Buduson, Clayton, NY. Secretary – 1000 Islands Charity Poker Run. Events Coordinator / Administrative Assistant at the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. Steering Committee Member of Thousand Islands Young Leaders Organization. Treasurer & Board Member of Clayton Improvement Association. Co-Chair of the Clayton Christmas Parade. Alex is a true River Rat, living and playing in the 1000 Islands year round.
Renee Lalonde, Ontario, NY & Alexandria Bay, NY. Treasurer – 1000 Islands Charity Poker Run. VP of Finance & Administration of Five Star Tool Company in Rochester. Renee grew up in Brewerton, NY and is a former VP of Commercial Banking where she managed a large portfolio comprised of non-profit organizations. She is the wife of Ken and mom of their two sons, 18 and 15 years old. Ken and Renee met in Alex Bay in 1992 and have always loved the region for the River and all its beauty.
Ken Lalonde, Ontario & Alexandria Bay, NY. Board Member – 1000 Islands Charity Poker Run. President of Five Star Tool Company.
. . . . as well as 100 + volunteers helping as their time allows. The committee is seeking volunteers from the community as this years event planning progresses. This event is intended to draw the ENTIRE community together in a spirit of giving to participate in a group effort.
The high-water woes that has plagued a large portion of the country has reached upstate New York and has threatened the overall success of the 1000 Islands Charity Poker Run, leaving most of the village docks at the scheduled lunch stop in Alexandria Bay, NY underwater and essentially unusable.
With the third installment of their highly successful Poker Run just days away, organizer Nolan Ferris and his team behind the Clayton, NY event decided not to let the high-water issues sink it for their attendees. But rather hunker down and roll up their sleeves. Literally.
“We purchased the materials ourselves and had a group of volunteers, including contractor Lance Peterson from Clayton (New York) that brought his whole (JR Construction) crew, and a friend of mine (Bruce) from New Jersey who’s a contractor and a friend of mine (Brian) from Pennsylvania who’s a contractor–drove up this morning to help us put this together today,” said Ferris. “We had a crew of 16 people and we nailed it out in about eight hours–600 feet of dock, three feet wide.”
After dealing with the town of Alexandria Bay for over a month regarding this issue, Ferris decided last week that it had to be done and to handle it themselves, mainly for the participants who will be traveling great lengths to experience this event–many for the first time.
The Poker Run, which is a 160-mile run out and back across the St. Lawrence River highlighted by picturesque castles and scenery, benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central New York and River Hospital, which provides Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment to America’s heroes–past and present.
After the docks were installed and complete, the group received a generous $1000 donation from Carnegie Bay Marina in Alexandria Bay for their efforts. The fasteners were provided at cost from Garlock Lumber, also in “Alex Bay.”
In only their third year of running this event, it’s clear that the team truly cares about it and its success. They are excited that so many new people will be coming to the small town of Clayton for some big fun and promises a charity presentation not to be soon forgotten.