Get your motor running. Head out on the highway — Saturday, Sept. 17 with the Natchez Poker Run.

The Krewe of Fat Mama’s Tamales is sponsoring this poker run to benefit the Sunshine Children’s Center. This center provides up to 45 days of care to children who are voluntarily placed by parents or who have been taken into protective custody by the Department of Human Services because of allegations of abuse or neglect.

The Sunshine Children’s Center, also called the Sunshine Shelter, is the only emergency shelter for children in southwest Mississippi and serves children statewide.

The Natchez Poker Run begins at Fat Mama’s Tamales restaurant at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 17. Registration is $20 per hand online at www.natchezpokerrun.com through Sept. 14.

On-site registration is $25 per hand at Fat Mama’s Tamales restaurant from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday night, Sept. 16, and from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 17.

This is a non-guided run giving riders the freedom to ride at will to each specified site. At each site, a rider chooses a playing card, attempting to obtain the best poker hand. A map and goody bag is provided to each rider. Riders can view the Mississippi River,

Mississippi and Louisiana farmlands, and the Natchez Trace are on this scenic route.

The schedule is:

4 Registration and first card: Fat Mama’s Tamales — 303 S. Canal St., Natchez, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

4 Second card: The Dock — 4301 Highway 568, Ferriday, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

4 Third card: The Steel Horse — 266 Highland Blvd., Natchez, 2:20 to 4 p.m.

4 Fourth card: John’s Place 835 U.S. 61 North, Natchez, 4 to 5:30 p.m.

4 Fifth card: Under-the-Hill Saloon — 25 Silver St., Natchez, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Any cards missed at one of these locations may be recouped at the Under-the-Hill Saloon between 5:30 to 7 p.m. Winners, announcements and prizes will be at the gazebo on the bluff, located on Broadway Street at 7:30 p.m.

Krewe members will be stationed at each site to provide cards. The event ends at the gazebo on the bluff. Radio personalities from ROCK 105 and 95 Country will be at the gazebo from 4 to 8 p.m. to finalize this event.

The best poker hand wins $300, given by Stuart Heflin, State Farm Insurance. Second prize is $200 donated by Becky and Kevin Wilson, BlackJack Oil, and third prize is $100, given by Brad Yarbrough of Natchez Ford.

Many thanks to them for our prize donations! All prize monies are donated so that all registration proceeds benefit the Sunshine Children’s Center. A 50/50 bucket is also available where donations of $5 yields a ticket.

At the close of the ride, whoever holds the winning ticket wins 50 percent of the money in the bucket with the other 50 percent given to the Sunshine Center.

In the words of songwriter Mars Bonfire, sung by Steppenwolf, we invite you to be “a true nature’s child, born to be wild, by racin’ with the wind” Sept. 17.

Your “heavy metal thunder” will help abused and neglected children throughout the state of Mississippi.

Joy Moore is an organizer of the Natchez Poker Run.