Support Our Troops Wrap-Up: Military Appreciation

ByJason Johnson

We were planning to report on the seventh annual Support Our Troops Poker Run earlier in the week, but we figured the wrap-up of last weekend’s event on Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks would be a better fit for Independence Day being that they share a red, white and blue theme.

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Participants in the seventh annual Support Our Troops Poker Run on Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks enjoyed dinner and awards at Dog Days Bar & Grill. For more images from the poker run, check out the speedonthewater.com photo gallery. Photo courtesy Ed Champion

Hosted by MidwestBoatParty.com at Camden on the Lake Resort—with assistance from title sponsors Poly Lift Boat Lifts, Sunsation Boats and Lake Ozarks Marine—the event included a welcome party Thursday, the poker run Friday and “Rehab Day” on Saturday.

“We had a good time and the weather for our run was great,” said Ed Champion, marketing director for MidwestBoatParty.com and sales manager of Lake Ozarks Marine. “We had around 400 people participate this year in more than 90 boats. That was a little down from last year, but it was still a nice, large group. And everyone had a blast.

“We also gave rides to 34 service men and women, who did the whole poker run with the captains,” he continued. “Our start was a little bit of a mess this year, and I apologize for that. With the water patrol rules of keeping our groups less than 20 boats, we are going to figure out a better way to start the run.”

Champion added that proceeds from the event go to H.E.R.O.E.S. Care and The Global Orphan Project. He also said the poker run had 11 stops this year, which helped keep the groups spread out across the lake, and ended with an awards banquet, dinner and party at Dog Days Bar & Grill.

Organizers have already announced a date for 2015—June 26 (pending water patrol permits of course).

Editor’s note: Check out more images in the Support Our Troops Poker Run gallery.

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