Each year, more than 600 children in Covington County seek medical attention at Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.

That’s why Caitie’s Army, an organization founded to raise money for research in honor of Straughn’s Caitie Rhodes who is battling brain cancer, teamed up with Children’s Hospital to raise money for families dealing with pediatric cancer.

This year, according to Children’s Angie Sherrill, 100 percent of $7,750 raised at last Saturday’s poke run will go to help those families.

“Some may wonder how this fundraiser can help,” Sherrill said. “It helps in more ways than you know. It can help a family traveling to and from Birmingham with a gas card. It can help a family with a child who just underwent a bone marrow transplant pay for long- term lodging. It does that and so much more.”

Some 40 riders – some on motorcycles and others in vehicles – braved storms to raise money for the worthwhile cause, said Rhodes’ mom, Tee Terry. She said riders came from the entire state to participate.

“It didn’t matter that the weather outside was horrible,” Terry said. “These wonderful people stepped up and were there to help.”

Terry said the group’s silent auction was also a huge hit.

The organization has held poker runs since 2007, when it helped raise funds for Rhodes, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, as well as others. Rhodes is a six-year survivor and continues to undergo treatment.

Since then, the program has grown to include two events each year, which now helps others with special needs and helps raise money for Children’s Hospital of Alabama.