Nov 25, 2020 3 min read

A unanimously passed bill that would assist veterans’ organizations such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars is expected to be signed by Gov. Tom Wolf this week, according to a news release by Rep. Pam Snyder.

House Bill 777 will allow those organizations to use all of the revenue from their Small Games of Chance funds instead of the 40% that they were previously allowed. The clubs were previously required to donate 60% of that revenue to charity.

“What we did here will have a huge impact on a lot of these service organizations,” Snyder said in an interview Monday. “A lot of them have had to scale back so much just because of the guidelines. Most of the ones in my district are really hurting.”

In an interview earlier this month, Martin Puchi, the district commander for VFWs in Greene and Washington counties, said nearly 5,000 VFW members across the state have died in the last year. He said about 60 posts across the state have had to close their doors.

In the 10 years he’s been district manager, Puchi said eight VFW posts in his district have closed, including one in Canonsburg, VFW Post 226, in September. He said the COVID-19 pandemic and the many regulations that were put in place forced many of these organizations to shut down for months, rendering them unable to make beer sales or conduct fundraisers.

Many VFWs in his region are “hanging on by a thread,” Puchi said.

With this new bill, which was presented to Wolf on Friday, Snyder said these organizations can use the full amount of the Small Games of Chance revenue to pay for rent, utilities and other operational expenses. If the COVID-19 emergency declaration is still in place, they should be able to use the full amount of that revenue next year as well, Snyder said.

“A lot of them generate a lot of revenue through the games of chance,” she said. “I’m glad we were able to do something for them before the session ended.”

Snyder said it’s difficult to think of communities without an American Legion or a VFW, as they are an integral part of communities across the state. With financial constraints and dwindling membership, many of them are disappearing.

“Not only do they provide a place for veterans to gather, but they also support several local causes and efforts, including blood drives, support for youth sports, and so much more,” Snyder said in the news release. “I know they’ve been hit extremely hard by this pandemic, and I was proud to support this measure, because it will truly be a life-saver for these clubs and help them survive.”