Poker run to benefit nonprofit organization in Pineville, Mo.

COURTESY PHOTO This 2005 Harley-Davidson Road King will be given away during a donation ticket raffle at the Pipes for Pups Poker Run benefiting the Saber Life Foundation on Aug. 7.
COURTESY PHOTO This 2005 Harley-Davidson Road King will be given away during a donation ticket raffle at the Pipes for Pups Poker Run benefiting the Saber Life Foundation on Aug. 7.

PINEVILLE, Mo. -- The Pipes for Pups Poker Run will be held Saturday to benefit the Saber Life Foundation based in Pineville.

The event starts with registration at 9 a.m. at Pig Trail Harley Davidson in Rogers, and the run will start at 10 a.m. The first stop will be at The Cave Bar and Grill in Lanagan, where everyone can have lunch. The next stop will be at Sims Corner Church at Missouri 90 and East Highway, where there will be a farmers market taking place. Then participants will head to Uncle Roy's One Stop at Eagle Rock for gas and snacks and then head back to Pig Trail Harley Davidson.

Entry is $25 per rider/driver and $15 per passenger. Cars, trucks, etc. are invited. Several door prizes will be given away during a donation ticket raffle for a 2005 Harley-Davidson Road King. Prizes will be awarded for the best and worst hands.

The Saber Life Foundation is a nonprofit organization that places service dogs with individuals who need them by paying 51% of the cost. Joel Key, who is a co-founder of the nonprofit, along with his wife Danea, said the idea for a poker run came up before the organization was founded when the family was raising funds for a service dog for their daughter, Gracie. They are planning on making it an annual event, he said.

Danea provided an update on how the Saber Life Foundation has been doing over the past few months. She said they placed a dog on April 23 in Batesville, Ark., and signed a contract to place another on July 24. That dog was donated, she said. They picked up a puppy on July 16 from Kiefer's Kentucky Lake German Shepherds in Gilbertsville, Ky., that will be matched with a client in Texas, she said. A couple of applicants are on a waiting list.

She said she is excited to be reaching people outside the area.

"I couldn't be more grateful for the people coming out of the woodwork that have donated funding, donated time and volunteered with Saber Life Foundation, people that have donated charitable funding to purchase these dogs to place with our clients. Without them it wouldn't be possible," she said.

She added, "Our goal this year is to place a minimum of five dogs. We're getting close. We've got two so far and working on a possible third."

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