Low Tide Hosts Annual Dinghy Poker Run for Charity
June 13, 2022
ALAMITOS BAY⸺ Low Tide Yacht Club will host its 3rd Annual Dinghy Poker Run benefitting the Marine Mammal Care Center on July 2 at 1:30 p.m. starting between docks 17 and 18 in Alamitos Bay.
Low Tide is a free yacht club located in Alamitos Bay. The club fondly refers to itself as a club for “drinkers with a boating problem” and gathers several times throughout the year for fun events like movies on the water and group potlucks.
Everyone is welcome on the dock, and the club only asks that members participate in two fundraisers a year to benefit the ocean and the local community.
The Dinghy Poker Run is held the weekend before the Fourth of July, and all proceeds go to the Marine Mammal Care Center.
“This is a great way to get our members community together and have some fun, while at the same time, raise some money for something we call care deeply about!” said Founding Members Steve and Brandy Hyham in an email to the Log. “We spend a lot of time on the water, and the marine life is something we all enjoy. The people at the Marine Mammal Care Center work very hard to make our experience on the water enjoyable while keeping our little friends happy and healthy!”
For the event, participants buy a $20 poker sheet. They can buy as many as they want and travel to various predetermined locations throughout Alamitos Bay in their dinghies to collect a five-card poker hand.
After collecting the hand, everyone meets up for a beach party where the best and worst hand are presented with their prizes, and the club hands over a check to the center to support the work they do on the water.
“This year, we would like to raise $3,500 for the center,” said Hyham. “We think this is a very doable number. Being a free club, our members have been very generous over the years! Everyone really comes out when we gently ask them for some of their hard-earned money. We love our member friends and would like to see many more new friends become of part of our little club!”
In addition, the club is looking for volunteers for the event to run the stations where poker players come by for their cards. Over the years, station volunteers have come up with crazy themes for their stations to the delight of the poker players who are stopping by.
“We would like to have a competition between the card stations as to who has the best theme,” said Hyham. “…In the past, we have had some pretty crazy card stops!”
If poker draws your attention or you are looking for a fun way to volunteer this summer, you can check out the Low Tide Yacht Club website at www.lowtideyachtclub.com or contact Brandy or Steve Hyham at Dock 18, Slip 7 in Alamitos Bay.
