BRISTOL — St. Joseph’s Polish Society will hold its inaugural “T2T Poker Run” to benefit the Tunnels to Towers Foundation this August.
The motorcycle poker run will be held Aug. 1., with sign-ups and registrations from 9 to 11:30 a.m. The run will start and end at Saint Joseph’s Polish Society at 88 E. Main St. in Bristol. Motorcyclists will be making stops along the run that will include VFW Post 269 at 114 Colebrook River Road in Winsted, VFW Post 511 at 41 Veterans Dr. in New Britain, the Burlington Men’s Club at 44 Corey Road in Burlington and Mulligan’s Grill & Tavern at 37 Greenwoods Road in New Hartford.
The event is open to more than just motorcycle riders.
Food will be served during the day at St. Joseph’s Polish Society and there will also be a horseshoe tournament and live music by “The Evolution Project,” a classic rock band. The event will go until around 9 p.m.
Proceeds will benefit the Tunnels To Towers Foundation’s Mission. Tunnels to Towers is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the sacrifice of firefighter Stephen Siller, who died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. After the World Trade Center was hit he ran from Brooklyn through the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel with 60 pounds of gear to assist at the Twin Towers.
The Tunnels to Towers Foundation honors his memory by supporting first responders, military service members and their families.
Elizabeth Murphy, associate vice president of the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, said funds raised from this event will help advance programs that provide mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families. They will also help to build “specially adapted smart homes” for “catastrophically injured” veterans and first responders and support work to eliminate veteran homelessness.
“We are grateful to the efforts of St. Joseph Polish Society and their partners in organizing this event and for the generosity of donors contributing auction items and other support,” Murphy said. “Contributions made in connection with this fundraiser play a meaningful role in helping the Foundation to continue its important work.”
Richard Parent, permittee with St. Joseph’s Polish Society, said St. Joseph’s Polish Society previously held a fundraiser called Mel’s Run for 18 years, with the last event being in 2022. That event, named after longtime club member Melvin Chesky, raised almost $200,000 over the years to support the diabetic ward at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.
“In the past we had about 100 riders at each event,” he said. “We raised $2,500 in our first year and $23,000 in the last year, 2022.”
With the fundraising goal for their previous fundraiser met, Parent said the club voted to choose another cause to support. He said Tunnels to Towers is dear to many people in the Bristol community.
“Tunnels to Towers helped to take care of the mortgages of the families of the two fallen police officers and to pay for their children’s college tuition,” he said.
Parent referred to Dustin DeMonte and Alex Hamzy, who were killed in the line of duty in an ambush shooting on October 12, 2022.
The cost to participate in the T2T Poker Run is $20 for both riders and non-riders.