Mom plans benefit to raise money for others

Honors Lorain woman who died in 2010

A Lorain woman hopes to do some good for others while honoring the memory of her daughter with an event this weekend.

The eighth annual Andrea Torres Memorial Poker Run will start with signups at 11 a.m. Aug. 18 at the Puska Outdoor Party Center, 2493 N. Ridge Road in Lorain.

It has become an annual gathering to commemorate Torres, who was 31 when a car crash claimed her life in March 2010.

Her mother, Andrea Dito of Lorain, said when her daughter died, many people came forward with an outpouring of generosity.

They were so caring, Dito said she could not let that end, so she began planning the Poker Run.

“I felt like I had to keep doing it, just to give back to somebody else,” Dito said.

Her efforts led to the creation of the Andrea J. Torres Memorial Endowment, managed through the Community Foundation of Lorain County.

The Andrea J. Torres Memorial Fund is a separate nonprofit entity that also raises money to help those in need.

The goal is to help causes that Torres loved, including children, animals and veterans, her mother said.

“She was just a free spirit,” Dito said. “Everybody knew her and everybody loved her. She just was a great kid.”

Past beneficiaries of the Poker Run have included Valor Home and Emily’s Hopeful Holidays, an organization through University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital helping children with cancer.

This year, the fundraiser will be dedicated to Judy Busby, a Michigan resident who is a longtime friend of Dito’s family.

Busby is battling a rare ailment that has led to multiple amputations of her limbs, Dito said.

Busby will attend the event, which now draws upward of 200 people a year, Dito said, and more are welcome.

Signup begins at 11 a.m. at the Party Center. The cost is $10.

The Poker Run starts at noon, with participants receiving cards at four stops and the final card back at the Puska Outdoor Party Center.

Participant with the best poker hand is the winner.

The party begins at 3 p.m. at the Party Center, with food, raffles and music by the band Nomad Soul.

Torres loved riding motorcycles, Dito said, but motorbikes are not required for the Poker Run.

Participants are welcome to come out with classic cars or their daily drivers.

For more information, Dito is available at 440308-6600.