Murphy – When Trevis Hicks’ grandfather died in 2020 from COVID-19, he sparked a legacy that would have made him proud. Franklin Barnett, a 62-year member of the Rotary Club of Murphy, was a longtime plant manager at MGM Brakes.
“My biggest thing for him is he always wanted to support anything that helped the youth, especially education,” Hicks said.
Hicks knows about his granddad’s focus on education firsthand.
“I graduated high school on a Friday, and after the ceremony granddad asked me, ‘Do you want to go to school, or do you want to make money?’ ”
Hicks had no interest in going to college, so chose the second option.
“By Monday morning, he had me working on the paint line. It was the hardest job in the plant,” Hicks said. “By the end of the first day, I was in line at Tri-County Community College, registering for classes.”
Hicks said that was his grandfather’s wish all along.
When Barnett died just before Rotary Club’s Poker Run three years ago, Rotarian Tim Radford suggested the run honor Barnett. The event, which is held to raise money for Cherokee County student scholarships, was christened the first Franklin Barnett Memorial Poker Run.
“Last year, we raised $11,000, and we hope to meet and exceed that this year,” club President Sherry Raines said.
The event takes months of planning to secure sponsorships and plan out the poker game, which traverses across the county. This year’s run started at 10 a.m. Saturday at Julie’s Place in Peachtree, where the players drew their first card.
The gamblers then caravanned to West Tubing Co. in Warne to try their luck at the second draw. From there, they drove to Jim’s Smokin’ Que in Blairsville, Ga., to draw their third card, which offered them an overview of their standing in the game.
Odam Springs Winery, also in Blairsville, hosted the fourth draw, with the final draw taking place at the L&N Depot in Murphy. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel donated two judges to officialize the final draw and determine the winner.
Each player received a swag bag from Harrah’s, but the real bounty came from placing in the tournament. Rotary awarded three prizes, including Best Hand, earning bragging rights and $400. The runner up received $300, while the Worst Hand was worth $100. In incredibly generous gestures, all of the winners donated their prize money back to the club Monday to help students.
Rotary’s District Governor Tammy Mosteller and her husband Tony of Lincolnton said participation in the event endorsed its value among the national clubs. This year’s third annual Poker Run thrilled Hicks.
“My granddad was the most positive person I knew,” Hicks said. “He loved everybody and saw the best in everybody.”