The Valley is no stranger to pub crawls.

But this Saturday, the Tour de Light Rail Pub Crawl puts a new angle on the progressive public cocktail parties.

This nine-bar crawl raises money for the Arizona Hemophilia Association. The crawl runs between Doc's Place on Central Avenue in Phoenix and the Library Bar and Grill in Mill Avenue in Tempe.

Riders pay $20 for a special T-shirt that guarantees them discounts at various restaurants and bars, and the money goes to the association, according to organizer and hemophilia association board member Lennox Punch. Organizers will be at Doc's Place and the Library, allowing people to start riding at either end of the line.

“I wanted to make sure to select places that were comfortable and not too small,” said Punch. “I tried to find places that were not too hole-in-the-wall or places that we would disrupt the atmosphere.”

Inspired by a bar crawl that raised money for St. Mary's Food Bank, Punch started organizing the event in July and promoted it using Twitter and Facebook. He expects 75 to 100 participants.

Tempe's Library, known for cocktail waitresses wearing skimpy school-girl uniforms, is always popular with pub crawlers.

“The fact that we are a starting point is a really exciting thing,” said Natalie Navarro, marketing director for the bar. “We're one of the bigger bars on Mill, and it's just a lot of fun when these big groups come in.”

Doc's Place is a sprawling spot with live jazz. Owner William “Doc” Jones is looking forward to the pub crawlers coming in.

“I like that there is a conscious effort to help charities that really need our help,” he said, “and events like this are a great thing.”

The hemophilia association assists from 800 to 1,000 families statewide affected by the genetic disease, which impacts the body's ability to clot blood. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the T-shirt sales benefits the association, Punch said. The money will be used for Camp Honor, a summer camp for children with bleeding disorders and their siblings, and for medical-alert bracelets that cost about $25 each. The association is not sponsoring the crawl, however.

“I know everyone's pockets are tight right now, I'm not going to lie about that, but it's a great feeling when you give money to charity,” said Punch.

By Kellie Hwang
Metromix
September 10, 2009