BLUEFIELD, WV (WOAY) – ChildLaw Services hosted a poker run to raise awareness on child abuse.
ChildLaw Services in Princeton is a non-profit law firm that represents children who are victims of abuse. They’ve set up their first annual Break the Cycle of Abuse Poker Run, which aims to brings awareness about child abuse.
According to Brandi Coronado, a specialist with ChildLaw, the poker run featured bikers from around the region who rode all over Mercer and McDowell Counties, as well as parts of Virginia to help raise awareness on the issue.
“The bikers are going to go out towards McDowell County and back, they’ll have a couple stops along the way. And then we’re going to end at Grants in Princeton by the Mercer County Courthouse,” Coronado said.
This is the first annual poker run they’ve held, and they plan to switch up the themes each time. The overall goal is to raise awareness on child abuse, but the theme this year is meant to support a local diaper bank.
“As a whole we are trying to raise awareness about child abuse, and helping raise funds for ChildLaw Services, because we represent children in court who have been abused or neglected. And then this years theme is ‘Diapers and Bikers,’ because we’re trying to help fund raise diapers for a diaper bank in Mercer County.”
In this Poker Run they’ve received donations for the Southern Snuggles Diaper Bank in Mercer County. ChildLaw says that diaper banks can help support struggling families. And roughly 1 in 3 American families have at one point experienced diaper need.
“A lot of people don’t realize how expensive diapers are and that no government assistance helps people buy diapers. So you have WIC and SNAP and all that which helps with food, but you have nothing that’s helping with diapers.”
More than twenty riders showed up for the poker run, with each one donating to the cause. They started at Cole Harley Davidson in Bluefield, and rode for more than 80 miles to raise awareness about child abuse and diaper need.
Anyone interested in donating to the cause can visit the ChildLaw Services website and contribute online, or drop off diapers at their office in Princeton.
