The Public Opinion Soapbox

Natural · Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

Small Games of Chance in Pennsylvania
I know there are some people in the area that are concerned about gambling. Obsessive and compulsive gambling is uncommon in the clubs. The people that with this form of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) will continue to gamble even if the clubs did not exist, their problems very rarely go away.
Gambling in one from or another will always be here. It’s in every aspect of our life from our investments to the office football or baseball pool. You gamble when you get into your car and drive to work with all of the Nut-Case drivers out there. You gamble when think you have picked the right doctor when you are sick. Life is a gamble from the beginning. I consider the little money that I gamble at the clubs is going to help someone less needy than me. I think of it as a donation I cannot write off on my yearly taxes. I can understand some people are concerned about tax write offs; I don’t make enough to itemize. But I do know what the clubs do with that money they give it back to the community.
I think the majority of the community is slightly misinformed about “Small Games of Chance”. One thing I will try to explain is the $5,000.00 per week payout limit. It’s exactly what it says, what they payout, not what the clubs profit. I averaged four of the most commonly used gaming devices (also known as fish bowls) used by most of the clubs. When the clubs payout $5,000.00 they average about 16% in net income ($800.00). How can anyone say that $800.00 is excessive considering what it is used for? I think the LCE should be concerned about what the clubs are making and where it is used, not about what they are paying out.
Payout is also a misgiving statement; basic math will show you this. If a club makes $120.00 profit, on a gaming device, the players of such have lost that amount as an entity. Simply said payout to that group as a whole is minus $120.00. The club has not really paid out anything to that group of people.
I am a past Commander of VFW Post 1599 and a past President of its home association. The VFW continually supports many activities in the community and may not be able to do so in the future because of the LCE and their Payout Limits. Here are just some of the activities we supported with Small Games of Chance in one year alone:
A. 21-Day Retreat (Flag retreat program, each day, before 4th of July) This program pays for the fire works at the Park on the 4th of July.
B. American Cancer Society
C. American Heart Association
D. American Lung Association
E. Arthritis Foundation
F. BOPIC Inc (“Building Our Pride in Children” summer enrichment program)
G. Central PTA
H. Chambersburg Area Senior High School Girls Soccer Banquet
I. Chambersburg Area Senior High School Basketball
J. Chambersburg Community Center
K. Chambersburg Council for the Arts
L. Chambersburg Little League
M. Chambersburg Maroon Baseball
N. Chambersburg Police Drug Dog (bought two of them through the years)
O. Chambersburg Touchdown Club
P. Children's Aid Society
Q. Cumberland Valley Mental Health
R. Diabetes Walk
S. Fastrax Softball (youth fast pitch tournament)
T. Flood Relief (Mid-West)
U. Frances Leiter Center (Child-centered play therapy)
V. Franklin Co. Homeless Shelter
W. Franklin Co. Vo-Tech
X. Franklin Learning Center
Y. Golden Age Games
Z. Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation
AA. The Honor Guard. This VFW unit performs more than 125 Military Graveside Services a year. The VA cannot give every Veterans family this much-deserved honor.
BB. Jack Barger State Nursing Scholarship (as state chairman I raised over $100,000.00)
CC. Lurgan Youth League
DD. Majestic Ridge Veteran Memorial
EE. Miss Teen USA
FF. Military Order Of The Cooties (The Cooties do volunteer work at the VA hospitals, they also buy supplies for hospitalized Veterans that cannot afford them)
GG. Military Order Of The Cooties VA Christmas Party
HH. Mt. Valley Center (Mountain Valley Center of Human Services)
II. Franklin Co. Naturalization Program (A program to help legalize immigrants)
JJ. Officer Phil
KK. PA Special Olympics
LL. Buddy Poppy Program (helps raise funds for disabled Veterans)
MM. S. Central Sports Hall of Fame
NN. Scotland School for Veterans Children Football
OO. South Central Camp Cadet
PP. Spinoza Buddy Bear
QQ. Scotland School For Veterans’ Children Christmas Party
RR. Scotland School For Veterans’ Children Jr. ROTC
SS. Scotland School For Veterans’ Children Jr. ROTC Ball
TT. United Way
UU. Unity Club (advocating diversity among different ethnicities)
VV. USO
WW. VA Golden Age Games
XX. VFW National Home
YY. YMCA

All of the clubs in Chambersburg contribute the same as the VFW. They don’t all contribute to the same causes but they all contribute. I am sure some of them can list more or less but the bottom line is the agencies and organizations they donate to would be short funds if the LCE has their way. Your taxes may go up if some of these agencies or organizations ask for government help. If the clubs can’t help and if the taxes don’t go up some of these agencies and organizations will be forced to curtail operations altogether.
I doubt that any other group of organizations donates as much as the clubs do.
I know where my money goes, do you?

Submitted to letters to the editors twice. Have yet to receive a response.
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Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2600 Location: Chambersburg

To keep it short and sweet, I simply think that our society has a lot more to be concerned with than "Small games of chance." Perhaps even gambling itself. As states tend to take a more open stance toward betting on horses and slot machines, legislators are realizing that an increased crime rate is nothing to compare to places like Atlantic City or Las Vegas.... while increased revenues are a legitimate alternative to raising taxes.

But, gambling (like drinking alcohol) is a vice that small towns still regard as detrimental to society, regardless of the facts. When you take small games of chance into account, it becomes even more irrelevant.

I think it sort of shows just how theocratic small-town America is; facts and opinion don't play nearly as much of a factor as good, old-fashioned backward thinking.

Natural · Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

Some political parties and other organizations advocate reconstruction of governments as theocracies. See the articles on the Islamic party.

Your post "facts and opinion don't play nearly as much of a factory as good"

Do you mean Factor?
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Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2600 Location: Chambersburg

No, I mean factory of course! Factory of good can only bring about sunshine and happiness!

It was certainly a typo, and judging from the timestamp of my post, a forgivable one I hope... like most of my ridiculous posts.

I already need some cold water splashed in my face a strong cup of black coffee.

rvette01 · Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 3

Natural I couldn't have said it any better. There are alot of people that didn't, or don't even know what all the Club's do for Franklin co. and all the HELP it does for our "VET's". Thank's for opening some people's "EYE's" to this.

Randy!

BadKarma42 · Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 8:52 am Post subject:

Why hasn't the Chambersburg Club been visited by the LCB?

paul_milander · Joined: 16 Mar 2008 Posts: 585 Location: Shippensburg, PA

Is there a FOE in Chambersburg? I use to belong to the one in Carlisle and I can tell you that I spent many a dollar on the fishbowls.

Natural · Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

The LCB hasn't been to any of the clubs. The LCE has. They only show up if a member files a complaint.
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Natural · Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

I guess no one in this town is concerned. The economic impact to all of those listed in my first post would be dramatic. PO is not concerned either. Depressing, very sad.

There are two points I would like to talk about.

a. 6th amendment rights.
b. Probable cause.

The right to confront your accuser and anonymous tips.

6th amendment rights say you have the right to address your accuser, LCE says they don’t

Anonymous tips are not probable cause.

I guess we have lost our basic rights.

It won’t stop her folks. Your basic freedoms are lost as far as I am concerned.

Without the basic functions the VFW does, with the Honor Guard, proper Grave Side services for our Fallen Veteran’s will cease to exist.

The VFW and Elks has supported two units in Iraq. Sending them care packages and given them and their families a banquet when they have come home.

We support the military when our government can’t. We send them things they need day to day. Small game of chance makes this possible.

Write a letter or email Senator Armstrong about passing HB169 so we can keep sending basic items to our troops.

Yes Armstrong is a senator but he is holding up a house bill at this time.

http://www.senatorarmstrong.com/

Enough said at this time.
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STUD · Joined: 09 Jun 2008 Posts: 3

I was about to visit Pennsylvania in around 15 days

any suggestions which is the best place to go??

Natural · Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 7

What do you want to do? Site see or visit clubs? Can help you with both. In Chambersburg you can do both but I suggest site seeing first, clubs second. Gettysburg is only 15 miles away and there are many wineries here. Sky diving is big here and the Chambersburg airport can is good from beginners or expert. I can't get on a ladder but it's fun to go out there to watch. We have every Veteran and Faternal organization you can think of in this area. If you are a member of any, just ring the buzzer. Friends will abound with one common goal, "support the community in any way they can". As I have stated above, in past posts, the PA government does not think we should. The LCE thinks the Pa casino's should be the only gaming in PA. I know we do more.

email me back

kevinmail@embarqmail.com
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The high price of not being up to speed.

BGSU · Joined: 03 Jun 2008 Posts: 18 Location: WalMartboro, PA

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2600 Location: Chambersburg

A Talking Horse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 143 Location: Cove Gap

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 3060 Location: Chambersburg

very well put.

I've known people who buy $20 worth of quick pick tickets everyday. Won most of the time, but they had to buy $20 worth of tickets everyday. Didn't matter if they were sick or going to be late to work.
And they could afford to do so, so it wasn't depriving them of anything, but if they missed their 'usual time' they would be anxious and agitated.

I would say it was like a nicotine fit, but since Coppy has this uncanny ability to quit things and not look back, I don't know that he would understand...some of us have addictive personalities and must be careful. Razz

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Nevermind.