Poker run will help cadets go to competion

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — A poker run fund-raiser is planned for Sunday, as members of the Grants High School JrROTC try to raise money for a trip to Florida to compete in the national drill team competition.

First Sgt. Rick Matteson, a retired U.S. Marine, and Gunny Sgt. George Garcia, are the JrROTC military liaisons and coaches.

Matteson said the cadets need to raise between $3,000-$4,000 to be able to make the trip, which is scheduled for May 3-7 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Expenses for the entire trip are $30,000.

Any vehicle is OK
Those interested in participating in the poker run do not have to be motorcycle owners, they can participate in a car, a truck, or an RV, just about anything that will allow them to go to four locations in the vicinity of Milan, from the high school, and return, Matteson said.

"We invite anyone who wants to participate to come out and go on the poker run with us," he said.

The entry fee is $20. There is a raffle at the Elks Lodge following the event, for those who would like to go to the raffle and not the poker run, he said.

Tickets for the raffle are two for $3 and there is a long list of prizes, including: Watches, a wood cabinet made by one of the cadets taking wood shop, a painting with a New Mexico southwest theme, a large gift basket donated by Avon, a swimming pool party at Milan's pool, a $25 gift certificate for Tracey's Flowers and more.

Also available at the raffle will be a cordless drill, purchased by one of the cadet's parents, he said.

The JrROTC program
There are 104 cadets in the JrROTC program, of which 29 are members of the prestigious drill team.

The drill team won the national championship in Florida in 2005 and in 2006 took 13th out of 120 teams competing from schools of all sizes nationwide, Matteson said.

Garcia is the drill team coach and the cadets train an hour before school Monday through Friday and for 90 minutes after school, at least, also during the school day.

Ten of the 29 cadets are seniors and will be graduating this year, Matteson said.

"Nothing would be better than if this group could repeat as national champions," he said. "They are at least as good as the 2005 team."

Recent win
The team recently won a regional drill team competition at Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque, competing against 18 schools, again, of all sizes.

"We won the Sweepstakes award and the main trophy; we walked away with it all," he said.

If the group does not raise enough money to go on the trip with the poker run and raffle, it will have a candy sale, sometime in April, Matteson said.

Last year there were about 120 people in the poker run and the raffle was a success. Both events helped earn enough money for the trip last year, he said.

Registration for the poker run is from 10 a.m. to noon. Matteson estimates the run will last about three hours. The raffle at the Elks Lodge, following the poker run, will include a barbecue.

The Lodge is at 2053 BPOE Drive, which is an extension of Charles Drive in Grants, said Mitzi Sousa, spokeswoman for the Lodge.

She said hamburgers and soft drinks will also be on the menu.

Matteson said hot dogs, potato salad and macaroni salad will be on the menu and water will be available.

The lodge's kitchen staff will do the cooking, and all items were donated, he said. Milan Supermart, Smith's and Wal-Mart donated food items for the barbecue.

For more information about the event or how people may be able to help the cadets go on their trip, call Matteson at (505) 285-6013.

To contact reporter Jim Tiffin, call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: jtiffin.independent@yahoo.com.