Over the years, funds from Spring Grove American Legion charitable gambling
have benefited the community and others in various ways. The Legion Post
#249 has generated income through weekly bingo playing, and also from
selling tip boards and pull tabs at the club bar. Through the years,
gambling managers have included Clarence Johnson, Oren Landsverk, Lucille
Wilhelmson and Richard Myhre. Ron Dix is the current manager. Wilhelmson
recalled that selling tip boards started before bingo. “The Legion Post
started bingo in 1964,” Donald Ellestad stated. “We had people playing bingo
both upstairs and downstairs. Bud Kemp and I were the callers. “Pull tabs
started much later,” Ellestad added. The State of Minnesota Gaming
Commission started regulating charitable gambling in the early 1980s,
Wilhelmson figured. Currently, with Dix as manager, bingo workers include
Pauleen Bratland, Lorraine Hagen, Shirley Droivold, Harold Jetson and Gary
Buxengard. Bingo is played every Friday night in the front room of the
Legion. The doors open at 5 p.m. and calling starts at 7 p.m. Players come
from the tri-state area. Average attendance is 70, with higher numbers when
the number of calls for the blackout game is higher. “We started Mega Bingo
here the end of October,” Dix explained about a statewide game that is
played electronically. “We now conduct one link bingo with 17 other bingo
halls across the state. Someone won it here once in the amount of $2,301.
The prize is determined by the amount of bingo sheets sold.” Distribution of
funds In 2006, Spring Grove Legion Charitable Gambling funds paid out a
total of $29,123.92 for lawful purpose. Of that amount, some of the monies
were distributed to support the following: Locally: city of Spring Grove –
Syttende Mai Fest, $600; Homecoming Festival, $2,000; Music in the Park,
$750; Bike Safety class, $500; Boy Scout Troop 55, $500; Cub Scout Pack 55,
$300; Spring Grove Ambulance, $400; Spring Grove Community Task Force for
Post Prom Night, $500; Spring Grove Fire Department, $500; Spring Grove
Library, $25; Spring Grove United Fund, $250; School crossing guards to
Minnesota Twins game, $312; noon meal for high school students at County
Government Day, $39; Sunrise Care Facility, $300; groceries for Bloodmobile,
$300.20; flowers for funerals of legionnaires, $109.82; Legion Boys State,
$225 plus $55 for bus; Girls State, $250 plus $55 for bus; and American
flags for veterans cemetery plots, $253.65. Houston County: Care & Share,
$800; Agricultural Society for Salute to Veterans event at the fair, $500;
Semcac Food Shelf, $500; and Camp Winnebago for campership, $250. For Legion
programs: American Legion Hospital Program, $250; Fisher House Minneapolis,
$500; Veterans on the Lake, $500; and Hospitalized Vets Pheasant Dinners,
$28.
For others: American Cancer Society, $2,000; Eagles Cancer Telethon, $2,000
(years 2005 and 2006).
In year 2005, charitable gambling funds totaled $24,452.62. Of that amount,
$18,101 was distributed to various charitable causes.
Some of the larger contributions included: the city swimming pool, $5,000;
Semcac Senior Dining, $2,500; and American Cancer Society, $2,000.
