Senator (Insert your Senator’s Name)            Representative (Insert your Rep’s Name)

Ohio Senate                                                     Vern Riffe Center                                           

Senate Building                                   or        77 South High Street

Columbus, OH  43215                                    Columbus, OH  43215

May (Insert Date), 2008

Dear Senator or Representative (Insert your Senator’s or Representative’s Name):

             (Select one)                

I am writing to ask your support of a very important issue to the veteran and fraternal organizations in the State of Ohio.  Because of various reasons, including the loss of membership, ageing membership, smoking ban, etc., attendance and participation in our organizations has diminished. 

The largest fallout of the above mentioned problems is the loss of income.  This loss of income has forced some veteran and fraternal organizations to close.  These closures greatly impact your communities.  Five AMVETS Posts, ten American Legion Posts, seven VFW Posts and 12 Eagles Aeries have closed in 2006/2007.  In some communities, the veteran or fraternal organizations are the only facilities where social events, e.g., wedding receptions, dances, fundraisers, bingo, etc., can be held.  Their donations to local, state and national charitable causes are very generous, needed and helpful.    

After listening to our pleas, Governor Ted Strickland has graciously agreed to add language in the Capital Corrections Bill to amend RC 2915.101 to raise the threshold for the distribution of income from sale of instant bingo to $300,000.   This will greatly benifit some of the larger Posts, Aeries, Lodges, etc. and hopefully, enable them to remain a viable part of their communities. 

Again, your support of this issue critical to our organizations will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Sincerely,

(Sign your name)