Chamber’s Golf Cart Poker Run resumes Nov. 1
By LOIS KINDLE
One of the most fun events in Sun City Center is about to kick off in a few weeks, and everyone with a golf cart is invited to join.
The Sun City Center Area Chamber of Commerce will host its first Golf Cart Poker Run of the season Nov. 1, and all you need do is sign up. The cost is $10 per person.
The Golf Cart Poker Run has become quite popular among residents for several reasons: It’s something fun and different to do, it offers something new to learn and there are free food and prizes. Last year’s highest number of riders for an individual run was 60.
The event begins and ends at the chamber, and there is lots of excitement in between.
Here’s how it works:
The entourage of golfs carts leaves the chamber parking lot and heads sequentially to seven different business stops where the owner or another representative gets five uninterrupted minutes to pitch the company’s products and/or services and hand out promotional materials and goodies. Then each participant gets one playing card, and the parade continues to the next stop.
By the time the run’s over, each person has collected seven cards, of which two are discarded at a wrap-up party back at the chamber. The remaining five cards are used to make the best poker hand possible, and the top three hands win prizes. A poker expert will be on hand to help. The chamber provides food and beverages, as well.
“The Golf Cart Poker Run is one of the most fun events we do all year,” said Lynn Conlan, the chamber’s executive director. “It’s a great way of bringing residents and businesses together. Everyone has a blast!”
Excluding the month of January, the Sun City Center Chamber Golf Cart Poker Run is held the first Friday of the month from November through May. All proceeds benefit the chamber, a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization.
Residents are asked to sign up for the event as soon as possible so that business stops can plan how many goodies they will need.
Businesses wanting to be a stop pay $50 to participate. Those unaccessible by golf cart or with no brick-and-mortar location can set up a display table at the chamber.
“If you want to be a stop for Nov. 1, sign up now because spots are filling up fast,” Conlan said. “Sun City Funeral Home was our first.”
To sign up for the Golf Cart Poker Run, call 813-634-5111. It’ll be a hoot!