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They say cigarettes can be bad for your health. But when they're 40 feet long and zip through the water at 80 miles per hour or more, cigarette boats like these in town for Emerald Coast Boat Week can be a real benefit to the community. This weekend will be the twenty-second Emerald Coast Poker Run. According to the President of the Emerald Coast Foundation, Chris Sehmen, "it's grown from a couple dozen participants to now over 1,000, plus 200 volunteers, over 40 sponsors, it's a tremendous lift done by a lot of people." The event raises money for four local children's charities. But with hundreds of boats and thousands of participants from around the world, it has a benefit to everyone in the area. General Manager of the Ramada Hotel on the island, Joe Guidry, says "if you look around now, you can see some places in the parking lot, but by Thursday those will be gone. All of the hotels will be filled, the restaurants will be filled. The economic impact is tremendous for the area. And it's great for the charities that we support." Emerald Coast Boat Week has events from Wednesday through the weekend, both on and off the water. Big boats aren't cheap, and according to Stu Jones of the Florida Powerboat Club, "these are people that are on vacation. They want to stay in the best accommodations, they want to eat at the best restaurants. They don't mind spending a little bit of money because they like to live large." Sehmen says "last time we did a study on it, it was several million dollars." This poker run is one of the largest in the nation, and more than 80% of participants this year have traveled from out of town. Sehmen says it's a great final push for the end of the summer. "From hotel stays to shopping to fuel, oh my God, do they buy a lot of fuel, to food and beverage. It's a huge lift to the last week, pretty much, of the season before Labor Day. So the economic benefit is tremendous." The Emerald Coast Poker Run is on Saturday, and that's when you'll see boats like these zipping from Destin all the way to Pensacola.
Read More at: http://www.weartv.com/news/features/...ek-48100.shtml
August 13, Luau Ladies Night at Helen Back
Get Boat Week 2014 off to a start by pulling your boat up to the dock at Helen Back!
Join us for a Luau on Wednesday, August 13 during Ladies Night at Helen Back on Okaloosa Island.
Ladies, buy your $10 cup for All You Care to Drink from 9-12.
Play Beach Bingo, Black Jack, and Roulette for prizes, donated by our sponsors, including a $500 gift card to Victoria's Secret Gift Card provided by the Santa Rosa Mall
August 14, Miss Boat Week Bikini Contest at The Swamp
Watch Emerald Coast Beauties compete for the Miss Boat Week Bikini Contest at The Swamp on Thursday, August 14.
A panel of judges will vote to crown Miss Boat Week 2014. Contestants will be competing for $5,000 cash!
Think you have what it takes to be Miss Boat Week? View the registration form.
August 15, BBQ Lunch at Juana's & Captains Party at AJ's Seafood and Oyster Bar
Free Lunch at Juana's for all registered poker run participants from 1:30-3pm!
The Captain's party is for Emerald Coast Poker Run Captains and their crews! Feast on Destin's finest oysters and seafood at AJ's in Destin at the Captain's party. View other Emerald Coast Poker Run registered boats at this party just for Poker Run participants on Friday, August 15 from 7pm-10pm.
August 16, Emerald Coast Poker Run and Poker Run Party
The Emerald Coast Poker Run runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, August 16.
Make your way from stop to stop, collecting hands to play at the Poker Run Party at the Emerald Coast Conference Center.
Everyone is invited to participate in the Poker Run Party, an All-You-Can-Eat, All-You-Can-Drink party with music, dancing, a silent auction and highlights from the week's events.
Party's doors open at 6:30pm
August 17, Fudpucker’s “Bloody Mary & Mimosa Party”
The perfect way to get the “Hair Off The Dog” after a fun filled night at the Poker Run Party.
Join us on the water at FudShucker’s (behind Fudpucker’s On Okaloosa Island) at 11AM on August 17 for “Custom Made” Bloody Marys and Mimosas.
Our bartenders will have lots of premium Vodka and Champagne to choose from as well as every juice and condiment imaginable for you to create your very own specialty drink.
Join us for lunch at FudShucker’s and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Emerald Coast Foundation.
Annual Emerald Coast Poker Run raises money for charities
By TRISTA PRUETT / Daily News
Boat Week came to an end for the 23rd time Saturday when 165 vessels made the rounds during the Emerald Coast Poker Run.
The event, sponsored by the Emerald Coast Foundation, raises money for a number of children’s charities.
Chris Sehman, the foundation’s president, said they hoped to raise a $125,000 this year for the Eleanor J. Johnson Youth Center, AMI Kids, Children in Crisis and Horizons.
Even with last year’s rain, Sehman said the foundation raised about $105,000. This year, it already had gotten almost $100,000 in sponsor money from local businesses.
Sehman said almost 200 volunteers were involved in the event.
Maria Przybylski with AMI Kids was one of them. She worked a poker run stop at North Light Yacht Club in Niceville on Saturday.
At the stops, participants picked up playing cards in exchange for donations. At the end of the event, the participants with the best poker hands earned prizes.
Przybylski said the event attracts a large crowd, noting boats from Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and other states.
“People come from all over for this,” she said.
However, many Boat Week participants are locals. Steve Anderson of Crestview was among them.
“All the dollars that we spend are going to a good cause,” he said.
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