By Ron Cox

The Ft. Myers based Ronin Riding Club sponsored its 5th Annual Poker Run themed “Doing It for The Kids” on Saturday, February 29th. Sidelines Sports Bar and Grill (very biker friendly) served as the starting and ending point.

Spirits were high on this crisp morning as the seventy riders set out on the ambitious 120-mile route that included card stops in Naples and Labelle before finishing with stops in Ft. Myers. Roy Rowan won the 1st place prize with a full house.

Proceeds from the day ($10,900) will go into the Ronin Charities fund and distributed as needed to agencies like Ft. Myers Florida Baptist Ministries or Ronald McDonald House of Southwest Florida just to name a couple.

When the ride was over the riders were treated to finger foods and a cash bar. There was an auction for items donated by area businesses, raffles for door prizes and gift cards.

Ronin draws its name from ancient Japan, loosely defined as “A wandering Samurai who has no Lord or Master.” Ronin’s were known in the late Muromachi
(1138-1573) and Tokugawa (1603-1867) periods.