Baton Rouge – The Baton Rouge Boat Club is gearing up for their 35th annual Amite 100 Poker Run. The event that benefits the local charity, Dreams Come True, began back in 1987 as just a fun idea. It has since flourished into a huge community event.
This year’s event is April 27, 2024 and open to the public. Every stop on the water is accessible by vehicle so the public is welcome to drive to the stops. The map below shows all 12 spots along the waterways and this link provides information on every stop. For every $3,000 raised, that’s one child’s dream coming true thanks to the local non-profit Dreams Come True.
History of Boat Club
The Amite 100 earned its name because it covers 100 miles. Terri Kring, the club’s historian, tells UWK they have multiple ways to raise money for Dreams Come True.
“What also coincides with the poker run is we do a silent auction. And 100% of the proceeds from the silent auction go to our local charity Dreams Come True. If you’re familiar with that, but 100% of the proceeds goes to Dreams Come True.” Kring says.
Kring tells UWK that many of the founding Amite 100 members are still around to tell stories about how it all started. They plan to capture those stories and share them throughout the event. While the Amite 100 has reached 35 years, the Baton Rouge Boat club has reached 73 years and still has some of its founders.
“Right after the Korean War, a bunch of Baton Rouge people got together and they incorporated the Baton Rouge Boat Club with Gerard Ruth. He’s 93 and still active.” Kring says.
Gerard Ruth, owner of Gerard Furniture, is the oldest active member and still shows up to each meeting. The club has grown into a community of over 1,000 members through the years.
The main purpose of the club is to promote safe boating.
“We meet once a month and hold cruises one to two times a month during the boating season. These range from short runs on the river to long weekend trips in open water. Boats range from party barges and fishing boats up to large performance boats and cruisers.” their website says.
The club’s largest event of the year is happening Saturday, April 27th. The Baton Rouge Boat Club will be selling Amite 100 poker hands at Manny’s Bar at $60 per hand. The public is invited to buy as many hands as they want and play against other poker enthusiasts.
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