State Rep. Mehaffie, veterans, partners, and lodge members gathered to celebrate community impact
MIDDLETOWN, PA – Middletown Moose Lodge 410 was recognized with a Charitable Gaming Community Impact Award from PlayPA for Charity for the lodge’s support of a range of community programs and local non-profits. The charitable contributions were made possible through the lodge’s revenue from small games of chance, such as paper pull tabs and raffles. State Representative Tom Mehaffie formally presented the award on behalf of PlayPa for Charity at an event on September 30.
Moose Lodge 410 in Middletown, PA uses revenue from charitable gaming to support a range of local non-profits and community initiatives, including the Lebanon VA Medical Center, the Middletown Volunteer Fire Department, the Middletown Area School District, and the Middletown Borough Fall Festival and Halloween Community. Other programs supported with funds raised through small games of chance include student scholarships, the Special Olympics, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, as well as Mooseheart and Moosehaven, two signature philanthropic and residential communities operated by Moose International.
During a formal plaque presentation to the lodge, Representative Mehaffie discussed the importance of charitable gaming as a means to support the ongoing operations of fraternal lodges like the Moose. Mehaffie also spoke about the need for the legislature to allow veteran service organizations and fraternal organizations to operate electronic pull tabs, which have resulted in significant charitable revenue increases in other states. Officials from Moose Lodge 410 also emphasized the importance of authorizing electronic pull tabs.
Electronic pull-tabs (e-tabs) are a modern electronic version of traditional paper pull-tabs that are already permitted as a Small Games of Chance in Pennsylvania. For charitable clubs, e-tabs could provide a modern, regulated alternative to skill machines while continuing to generate significant revenue for charitable and community purposes. E-tabs are currently legal in 12 states as a fundraising tool for non-profit clubs and those that have installed e-tabs have seen their gaming profits increase substantially.
About PlayPA for Charity
PlayPA for Charity is a coalition advocating for the modernization of charitable gaming laws in the Commonwealth to allow for expanded paper gaming offering and electronic pull tabs. Learn more at www.playpaforcharity.org.
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