ATVs

Snow trackin’

Fifth SCATV Winter Charity Poker run propels 200 plus ATV enthusiasts through a great morning ride

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONTICELLO, NY — Riding ATVs over snow-covered trails on a crystal clear January morning proved to be an exhilarating experience for upward of 200 riders on January 26.

Riders from near and far arrived at Monticello Raceway to register and grab some hot coffee, Danish or a bagel before heading out in groups to embark on the day’s 25-mile ride. This was the fifth winter ride staged by the organization best known for its annual charity poker run held each September. The late-summer run draws huge numbers of riders and much of the proceeds are donated to ailing area kids.

This past summer, SCATV donated $10,000 to 10-year-old Elizabeth Grese of Liberty and eight-year-old Candace Battiste of Smallwood. (See “SCATV Poker Run Deals a Winning Hand” in the September 20 edition of The River Reporter.)

To date, SCATV has donated in excess of $100,000 to kids and their families who are battling daunting diseases and birth defects.

But running an organization with such an ambitiously generous agenda is a year-round job. The winter runs help raise money to maintain the organization and take some of the pressure off the big event. The cost for the day’s ride that included breakfast and lunch was a modest $40 dollars.

Clad in warm clothing and protective gear, the riders set forth from Monticello Raceway at 8:30 a.m. for their frosty jaunt. They returned to partake in lunch, provided as part of their registration cost. A 50-50 raffle was held as well.

Visit scatvny.com for additional information about SCATV and its upcoming events.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of pictures from this year’s winter run.