Sports car enthusiasts get revved up for charity

Car enthusiasts Keith (l) and Dimitri Jean-Pierre, of East Brunswick, raised more than $2,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with their second annual poker run for owners of exotic cars. Behind the brothers is Keith's 2001 Dodge Viper RT/10.

EAST BRUNSWICK - Dimitri and Keith Jean-Pierre have a drive to help those in need. Literally.

For the second straight year, the two brothers organized a car show that serves both as a poker run and a charity event, raising more than $2,000 for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tenn.

Dimitri, a sophomore at East Brunswick High School, and Keith, a 2003 graduate now attending Long Island University, C.W. Post campus, decided that they could make a difference and use their love of cars to accomplish it.

"My brother and I have loved cars ever since we could remember, and we thought it would be great to merge our love for cars with the desire to help out charity, and this was the result," Dimitri said.

On June 2, their brainchild took place for the second year in a row. As the sun rose, so did the almost 100 participants, and by 10 a.m. more than 50 exotic cars - from Vipers, Lamborghinis and Ferraris to Porsches, BMWs and S2000s - stormed the streets of New York and New Jersey. All involved had one goal in mind: to raise money for the children's hospital, which was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas in 1962 and is internationally recognized for its work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic illnesses.

Admission for the event was $50, with St. Jude receiving 75 percent and the rest split between production costs and prizes.

At each stop along the run, the players received a poker card. At the fifth and final stop, they put their hand together and hoped for something good.

The stops all had significance: the Americana Manhasset, an outdoor shopping center reminiscent of Rodeo Drive, has a large parking lot allowing for plenty of interaction between the shoppers and the exotic car owners. The next stop was in Queens at the Gateway Shopping Center, which welcomed the cars with open arms.

"I could not tell you the amount of people taking pictures of the vehicles and asking questions," Keith said. "I would almost go as far to say that there was more interaction here than at the first stop."

Next was the New Jersey Turnpike Grover Cleveland Rest Area, for refreshments and fuel, and then the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel. Finally, after a half-day of driving, the run wrapped up at the Gusto Grill on Route 18 in East Brunswick. Here, the drivers could finally look at their poker hands. Three lucky participants each obtained full houses and won cash prizes worth a total of $500.

"Although this event was a blast to attend, we did not forget the main reason for its creation … charity," Keith said. "As a car club we can drive any time we want, but how often can you say that a car club raised over $2,000 for St. Jude Children's Hospital?"

The two are already thinking about next year's event.

"It is going to be hard to top, but I promise it will be even bigger and better," Keith said.