VFW sells building after lost revenue
VFW & AMVETS to take charters to American Legion
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – When The Mint Gaming Hall expanded to Bowling Green last December, many rejoiced, but a few veteran organizations that rely primarily on gaming income have lost almost all their funding.
Nine months later, Kentucky’s oldest VFW, Bowling Green’s Post 1298, finally had to sell off its building.
The VFW, whose charitable gaming machines’ payouts cap at $599, couldn’t compete with The Mint. Slowly, the charter steadily lost their once $4000 weekly income.
VFW Post 1298 Commander Glenn Skaggs said their loss is not an isolated incident.
“We had lost around 92 VFWs in one year nationwide. That’s a big hit to a large group.”
The local VFW and AMVETS, which operated inside the VFW 1298 building, will soon both move their charters into the American Legion.
AMVETS Post 130 Commander Gerald Mounce said during this tough 2022, they never stopped serving their community.
“During the tornado relief, we shut the VFW down completely and turned it into a distribution center. For three and a half months we set out there giving food, clothing, and water to everybody here in Bowling Green. But we weren’t making any income whatsoever at that.”
The American Legion has also suffered, losing roughly 80 percent of its profit margins as well.
With much of the charitable gaming funding supporting local vets and the community American Legion Post 23 Commander Malcolm Cherry says this financial hardship hurts the community.
“Our revenue from American Legion goes back to charities and different people that we donate to. It helps feed the hungry and do that kind of thing.”
Skaggs wants the community to know that even without their own brick and morter building, “…the VFW is not leaving. Even though we’ve sold our property, the Veterans of Foreign War is still here. We’re a strong group.”
Sadly, this move will also cause the VFW to lose the last of its shrinking gaming income. This is because the charitable gaming nonprofit only allows one organization to collect gambling funding per charter.
The VFW plans to purchase a new, smaller charter next year.”
“Once we get our VFW back open,” began Mounce, “I know we don’t pay out as big of jackpot system it does, but come play some of our games so we can return some of this money back to the community and help out the community.”
In the meantime, “If you want to support veterans and our community, come to the American Legion and work with us,” implores Cherry. “You’ll have a good time here.”
