A local fundraising group will hold a poker run motorcycle ride to benefit the ALS Association.

Sandy’s Cruisers holds the annual event in memory of Sandy Wright.

“She was full of life,” Christine King said of Wright. Sandy Wright was a Redskins fan, and “always on the go,” she added.

King is a member of the Sandy’s Cruisers fundraising committee, and is close friends with both of Sandy Wright’s daughters, Sherry Wright and Jennifer Graham.

After King met Sherry Wright in nursing school, their almost two-decade-old friendship gave King the chance to get to know Sandra Wright well.

“She raised two great daughters that are like family to me,” King said. After Sandy Wright was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, the beloved mother and friend died at the age of 60.

The ALS Association has been known to provide many helpful items to families suffering from ALS, including speaking devices, iPads and wheelchairs, King said. After Wright was diagnosed with ALS, the ALS Association helped her family, King said.

“The biggest thing was letting them know what to expect,” King said of the organization’s help. The organization provided Sandy with a wheelchair, a feeding tube and a social worker to prepare the family for what they needed to know about the disease. “They did such an excellent job with Sandy,” King said.

Sandy’s Cruisers’ fourth annual Sandy’s Cruiser’s Poker Run will take place on Sept. 20. King said all money raised will go to the local chapter of the ALS Association.

This year, the event will be taking place in the Suffolk/Isle of Wight area due to the involvement of Cindy Goodman, whose mother also passed away from ALS, King said.

The ride, which is open to cars as well as motorcycles, begins at Tidewater Motorcycles and ends at the Isle of Wight County Fair. Goodman’s sister, Debbie Braswell, is a member of the fair committee.

Throughout the course of the ride, there will be five stops in which each participant will select a card from a deck, King said. On their final stop, participants will play their hands.

The second stop of the day will be at Dave’s Place, the third at DuckThru and the final stop before the fair will be at Georgie D. Tyler Middle School, King said. The participant who plays the best hand wins $40, and the player with the second-best hand wins $25, King said.

In past years, the typical turnout has been around 45 people. This year, King hopes even more show up. The cost is $15 per rider and $5 per passenger. All riders receive free entrance into the fair, and there is no pre-registration required. King said. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.