At Crossways Tavern in Ilion on Saturday, the last stop of the inaugural Big Wheel Poker Run for Children’s Miracle Network, brave patrons took a ride on a kids three-wheeler.
Some simply gave a couple pedals for old times sake. Others paid dearly for death-defying wheelies.
In the end everybody who participated came away smiling, and not just because of the prank falls worthy of a funniest video reel.
Each rider paid $5 to swallow their pride and act like a kid learning to master the plastic training tricycle.
The fee, along with $25 to cover registration a DJ for entertainment and dinner, benefited the children’s hospitals affiliated with the Miracle Network.
The network is a non-profit organization that raises funds for its 170 hospitals providing medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind, according to their Web site.
The run raised $450 with 80 percent or $365 percent going to CMN and 20 percent or $85 benefiting the Ilion Police Benevolent Association.
Other local sponsors and event hosts included: JD’s Lounge, Ilion Elks Lodge, American Legion Post 920, and State Bowling Center.
Based on the enthusiastic turnout, organizers expressed a desire to make the fund-raising an annual event of Ilion Days.
Each year being a new theme or activity, but it will be tough to top the “big wheel” idea.
As the event came to a close, people began taking matching donation collections to entice those in attendance that were yet to take a spin.
There remains an open policy for donation to the network. For information call Mary Comins at 717-8727.