This past weekend a fundraising poker run began in the Drumheller Valley and headed southeast with a large number of vehicles and bikes. A special addition was a person many know from television.
Avery Shoaf, from the television show Rust Valley Restorers on the History Channel, was on hand to get things started and participating in the East Bound And Down Poker Rally. Shoaf never believed that he would be where he is today, with TV stardom.
Avery Shoaf, one of the stars of Rust Valley Restorers, was on hand for the event.
“It is something that I never expected in my whole wide world that I would ever be doing. It brings a lot of joy and personal satisfaction to give so much joy back to the culture.”
This is not the first time Shoaf has been to the Drumheller Valley but he enjoyed this time more than the last. “It’s nice being here and I’m not lost. Last time I was here, I got lost and took the wrong road. I didn’t know where I was going, looking for a gas station. It’s kinda nice being here, now knowing where I’m going.”
As for the popularity of the show and being stars, both Shoaf and his friend Mike Hall (who unfortunately couldn’t make the trip due to scheduling conflicts) still can’t believe it. “Both me and Mike are too OCD, too hillbilly, to get too acknowledged on it. Sometimes, me and Mike talk to each other and ask ‘why us’?”
The organizer of the East Bound and Down Poker Rally, John Nafziger, shared that this was their 6th annual event and thought Drumheller was a great place to start the rally. “It is a neat place to kick off from. Every year, I am totally random. I get a hankering and then I do it, and find all the cool spots in between.” The route was a secret for the drivers until they purchased their poker hand. They started in Rosedale. The first stop was the East Coulee School Museum, followed by the Mosasaur sculpture at Carolside. They then headed south to the Patricia Hotel for lunch, followed by Veteran’s Park in Brooks, then to Medicine Hat, ending at the Irvine Hotel in Irvine, just east of Medicine Hat.
The Poker Rally has and continues to be a fundraiser for the Kids Cancer Society of Alberta and Nafziger appreciates what the organization does for the families dealing with their child battling cancer. “What Kids Cancer Society of Alberta does is supporting the families that have children fighting cancer.” The rally was able to raise over $2,000 this year for the cause. If you want more information about next year’s rally visit the East Bound And Down Poker Rally Facebook page.
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