Friday, October 30, 2026
The eighth annual Play for Mary charity poker tournament dealt a winning hand to a cause close to the hearts of Rockville Centre residents, raising more than $7,000 for the Mary Ruchalski Foundation while bringing about 100 people together for a night of cards, community and remembrance.
Held Oct. 17 at the Odd Fellows lodge in Rockville Centre, the event benefited Play4Mary and the Mary Ruchalski Foundation, which supports people affected by cancer. The tournament drew a strong turnout and support from numerous sponsors, organizers said, helping raise funds while introducing new faces to the foundation's mission.
Carol Ruchalski, Mary's mother and the foundation’s founder, said the night was especially meaningful because it reached people who might not have attended the foundation's other fundraisers. Many previous events have centered on sports Mary played, including softball, swimming and lacrosse.
The poker tournament offered a different way to bring people together and spread awareness of the foundation's work.
“As I was driving to the event, I was thinking, for sure, I think Mary just never played poker,” Ruchalski joked. “I think the extent of our card playing experience was goldfish. I think she probably got a nice chuckle that all these people are playing poker for her.”
One of the night's most emotional moments came when Eddie Stein, Mary's former coach, presented Ruchalski with a framed replica of a softball jersey Mary once wore. After the original jersey was unavailable, Stein obtained a replacement from the Storm Sports Academy and had it framed in Mary's honor.
“When they gave me the jersey, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I can't believe this,” Ruchalski said. “I was so touched and honored that they did that for us. That was really the highlight of the night for me.”
Beyond the money raised, Ruchalski said the tournament provided an opportunity to introduce new people to the foundation and the people it helps. She recalled one attendee who, after learning more about the organization, made an additional “sizable donation” beyond the cost of participating.
