Poker Charity Raises $12,000 for Women's Safety Education

Written by:
Ace King
Published on:
Jul/24/2008

More than 400 people participated Saturday in a motorcycle poker run, raising more than $12,000 for the Bring Bri Justice Foundation, according to the Reno Gazette Journal.

The foundation's aim is to bring Brianna Denison's killer to justice, to enhance punishments for sex offenders and to educate the community on safety and encourage awareness. It was created for all crime victims in memory of Denison, 19, who disappeared in January and was found strangled the following month in a Reno field. Authorities say her killer is linked through DNA to two previous sexual attacks against college women in the area.

After the poker run at Reno Harley Davidson, about 1,000 people attended a women's safety fair about concealed weapons and self-defense.

The Crusaders Motorcycle Club, Miller Beer and Reno Harley Davidson sponsored the event with donations of more than $27,000 in food, services and prizes.

Denison's disappearance made national headlines.  Around 1700 volunteers helped with the search of a 100-square-mile (260 km²) area during the time Denison was missing, including Nevada's First Lady Dawn Gibbons (wife of Governor Jim Gibbons).

On February 15, 2008 a company worker discovered a body on a company's field, partially covered in the snow. February 16, 2008, an autopsy report confirmed that the body found in a field near a Reno business park was that of Brianna Denison.  Police believe she had been dead for at least 2 weeks.

Ms. Denison was last seen  January 20, 2008 at approximately 4:00 AM PT at a friend's house in MacKay Court, Reno where she was staying after attending a party at the Sands Hotel and Casino on North Arlington Avenue in Reno. When her friend, K.T. Hunter, woke up at around 9:00 AM PT, Denison was nowhere to be found. A small blood stain was found on the pillow she used to sleep with that night, which led her friend to alert Brianna's parents and consequentially local authorities. Dension left the house without her shoes, cell phone and purse.

The sale of handguns, stunguns and pepper spray increased dramatically in the University of Nevada, Reno area after the body of Denison was found.  On February 23, 2008 a vigil for Denison was held in Reno, Nevada and was attended by hundreds of people.

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Ace King, Gambling911.com

Originally published July 24, 2008 11:03 am EST



 

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