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DOWAGIAC — A local organization is providing community members a scenic ride down the Dowagiac River and the chance to win some prizes.

The Young Professionals of Greater Dowagiac is gearing up to host its fourth annual Paddling Poker Run. The event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 9 at Doe-Wah-Jack’s Canoe Rental, 52963 M-51 N., Dowagiac, and end at Indian Lake Pub, 55986 Indian Lake Road, Dowagiac.

Sign-ups will take place from 11 a.m. to noon and launch between noon and 1 p.m. The paddling portion of the event will take approximately two hours with festivities finishing up at Indian Lake Pub around 4:00 p.m. before awards at 5:00pm.

Poker run attendees will receive their playing cards at the launch, at three different points along the river and at Indian Lake Pub after they dock. The attendee with the best hand will receive a prize, and additional prizes will be handed out.

Three additional cards can be purchased – one at Launch, one at Yaw Street Bridge, and one at Indian Lake Pub. If a player draws a card that they already have they will need to re-draw that card. The winning hand is determined by standard five-card poker hand rankings. No wild cards. 

Tickets can be purchased at ypdowagiac.wixsite.com. The presale cost of renting a tandem canoe will be $60 and a single canoe will cost $40. Attendees can bring their own canoes for $20 and tandem canoes $40.

Proceeds from this year’s poker run will go toward the organization’s next project, which has not been decided yet.

Last year’s event raised $500. The organization has several fundraising events throughout the year, including its annual Daddy/Daughter Dance and Mother/Son events and its fireworks show.