A Sons of the American Legion post combined recently with local motorcyclists and businesses to raise $1,000 to help cancer patients with expenses.

Jack Christie, commander of Sons of the American Legion Post 106-Kennedy Hall, called the first Cans for Cancer Poker Run a success. The charity event was called Cans for Cancer because of Post 106's long-running project of earning money by collecting aluminum cans.

The money — more than $15,000 since the project started about three years ago — goes entirely to local cancer patients who cannot afford to pay for medicine or treatment, Christie said.

Post 106 gets the names of needy patients from a local clinic that treats many cancer patients.

Post 106 provides the money to the clinic to use for patients most in need, and the patients "never know who's paying the bills," Christie said.

"We started the Cans for Cancer about three years ago when one of our own members — Dave Joyner — told us he had cancer," Christie said. "Dave, we are sorry you were not well enough to be with us (this year), but you were in our hearts."

The project started with Post 106 collecting aluminum cans from members, their families and friends. But Joyner suggested expanding it to the public by setting up collection sites.

"It has grown to where we now have three trailers that people can leave their cans in," Christie said. Those sites are the Kennedy Hall Post on N.C. 801, the Carriage Room on Statesville Boulevard near Salisbury Mall and a home off Serenity Drive in Cleveland.

Despite raising thousands for local patients, Christie added a "sad note: A lot of our cans are stolen from our trailers and the amount could have been much more."

Post 106 supporters held the first Cans for Cancer Poker Run on Aug. 23, attracting 45 bikers "from all walks of life, who contributed $15 a person for a chance to win half the money collected from entry fees in a game of poker."

The riders stop several places, drawing a card each time so that they have a poker hand by the end of the ride.

The best hand won $300 and the worst hand got $100, Christie said. Poker run organizers also sold barbecue chicken plates and tickets for prize drawings.

"At this time, we would like to thank anyone who helped in any way to make our first ever Cans for Cancer Poker Run more successful than we ever dreamed," Christie said.

Stops on the poker run were: Hooters of Mooresville, Ten O'clock Charlie's, Kenny's Pit Stop, the Carriage Room, Rock Bottom Saloon, Joker's and Reb's Bar. Other business contributors were Tilley's Harley Davidson, the Hawg Shop, CJ Restaurant, Sam's Car Wash, Midas Muffler, Razor's Edge and Shear Angel's Salon.

Christie said Angie Short also deserved special recognition for her "dedication to our cause."

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