Bikes and cars gather for Cure Kids

Engines will roar as motorbikes and classic cars come together for a poker run in attempt to fundraise for the kids.

The Southern Socials and Random Riders motorcyle groups have joined forces and are hosting the event on June 27 for Cure Kids.

The proceeds will help Tokoroa duos Stacey Prole and Sarah Martin as well as Jared Kennedy and Kyle Pourau to complete the charity’s $ 10 hitchhiking challenge.

The two teams each need to raise $7000 to enter the September event where they will travel from Auckland to Queenstown over three days with only $10 in their pockets.

Cure Kids is a charity that funds research into cures and better treatments for a wide range of conditions affecting children.

Southern Socials member Kaiapa Ruru said the fundraiser will start at the Tokoroa Club where riders will select their first card for the poker hand.

Entrants will then move on to the Hamilton Cock’n’Bull where a Cure Kids ambassador will pick the best car and bike.

The group will then move onto Morrinsville, Okoroire and back to the club to finish with their fifth Sarah Martin, left, Stacey Prole, Kyle Pourau and Jared Kennedy are holding a classic car and motorbike poker run to fundraise for Cure Kids. card where the best poker hand will win a mystery prize.

Ruru said poker runs happen quite often as fundraiser for various events and he expected more than 150 people to come from across the North Island.

The club would often go to other poker runs as well to support other social biker groups.

‘‘Usually people would go out of their way – it’s all for the cause.’’

The day will start at 9am where the whole family can gather to support the cause and look at the bikes and cars.

Anyone can enter on the day and hop on the back of a bike if they don’t have their own vehicle.

At the end of the ride there will be games, a band and a food on offer at the Tokoroa Club as well as the poker hand reveal.

The CureKids hitchhikers said this event will hopefully get them over the line to their goal.

Teams will partake in the event in costumes and first timers Martin and Prole will be dressed as superheroes.

Prole who is a mother of two said she signed up with her sisterin-law to step out of her comfort zone.

And with kids of her own, it’s a cause she can relate to.

‘‘I’ve got healthy kids, but that can change in an instant,’’ Prole said.

Pourau and Kennedy are hitting the road for the second time and they said meeting the Cure Kids ambassadors last year made their fundraising efforts all worth while.

This year they will be sporting Hawaiian shirts, shorts and an umbrella along the way.