Shake, Rumble & Roll poker run benefits people with PTSD or TBI

The second annual Shake, Rumble & Roll motorcycle poker run will take place June 1 to raise money to support services for people who have a traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder.

The event is being coordinated by The Resource Center and Filling the Gap, Inc. Participants will meet at The Resource Center’s administrative offices, 200 Dunham Avenue in Celoron, between 8:00 and 10:00 to check in and draw a playing card. Following a blessing of the bikes, participants will head off on a route that will take them to stops in Randolph, Ellicottville and Gowanda before finishing at Sunset Bay Beach Club in Silver Creek, where a victory celebration will be held from 2:30 to 5:00 featuring the Kokomo Time Band.

Riders will select cards at each location. The person with the best five-card hand will win $500, while the person with the best three-card hand will win $300.

The entry fee is $20 per person. Click here to register. Money raised through the event will support programs that New Vision Services and The Resource Center offer to people with TBI or PTSD.

New Vision Services is a Jamestown-based non-profit organization that provides supports to people in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Erie counties so they can live at home rather than move into a long-term care facility. For people with a traumatic brain injury, New Vision offers service coordination, home and community support services, independent living skills training, community integration counseling, and positive behavioral support services. A TBI can be caused by incidents such as a stroke, an aneurysm or a car accident.

In addition to supporting services that benefit people with a TBI, money raised through the poker run will support activities that assist people with post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, some 7.7 million adults (3.5 percent of the U.S. population) are affected by PTSD. PTSD can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic or life-threatening event such as war, natural disaster, physical assault, or sudden death of a loved one.

The Resource Center offers supports for people with PTSD, including a group that uses art therapy and creative writing to explore new ways to process their individual trauma.

Getting into the spirit of the Shake, Rumble & Roll motorcycle poker run are, from left, Lori FitzPatrick, Director of Branch Operations for event sponsor Greater Chautauqua Federal Credit Union’s Falconer location; Victoria Trass Bardo of event organizer Filling the Gap, Inc.; and Brittney Quattrone from Greater Chautauqua FCU’s marketing office.

Organizers of Shake, Rumble & Roll are hoping for a good turnout from motorcyclists and others who want to support people with TBI and PTSD. People who don’t ride in the poker run are welcome to attend the party at Sunset Bay.

“This event supports services provided for individuals with traumatic brain injury or post-traumatic stress disorder and the behaviors associated with those conditions,” said Victoria Trass Bardo, the Development and Events Manager for Filling the Gap. She added that while The Resource Center is well known for the services it offers to people with behavioral health challenges, not everyone is familiar with the supports New Vision Services can provide to people with TBI and others requiring long-term care.

“Many people in our community who have these conditions don’t know that we are here to help,” Vicky said. “Along with being a fund-raiser and awareness builder, we hope Shake, Rumble and Roll will offer a great deal of fun for the drivers and riders. We hope to see many bike enthusiasts come out and enjoy our scenic route, fellowship and a chance to win some awesome prize money.”

Sponsors of the event include Brown & Brown Insurance, FSC Systems, Greater Chautauqua Federal Credit Union, Hector’s Powersports, Premier Consulting Associates, Real Estate Advantage, Saxton Kocur & Associates, and Smith Boys of Chautauqua. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, phone Vicky at (716) 661-1477.