Fraternal groups cut charitable giving amid sales slump
Organizations squeezed by smoking ban
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - In any other year, Nitro Moose Lodge Administrator Ray Kesling would have approved the $300 request from Nitro High School to buy T-shirts for cheerleaders to toss to fans during basketball games.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - In any other year, Nitro Moose Lodge Administrator Ray Kesling would have approved the $300 request from Nitro High School to buy T-shirts for cheerleaders to toss to fans during basketball games.
But Kesling turned down the request last week. The Moose doesn't have any money to donate to community groups and charities these days.
Nitro Moose Lodge administrator Ray Kesling has watched poker machine sales drop significantly since Kanawha County’s smoking ban took effect July 1.
"We just don't have the funds to do it," Kesling said.
Kesling blames the lodge's recent charitable spending cuts on the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department's expanded smoking ban. The regulations no longer allow smoking at bars, gambling parlors and private clubs such as the Moose.
Nitro Moose's video lottery machine sales have dropped 40 percent on average during the past three months compared to the three months before the smoking regulations took effect on July 1.
Beer, liquor and food sales also declined by a similar percentage, Kesling said.
In response, the Moose and other Kanawha County fraternal organizations have slashed charitable giving in recent weeks.
"The last three years we've donated more than $100,000," Kesling said. "Now it's tough to find the money to donate $100."
In the past, the Nitro Moose has given money to high school sports teams, bands and show choirs. Nitro, Poca, Buffalo, St. Albans, Sissonville and Winfield high schools have received donations.
The club also sponsors Little League baseball teams, funds a handful of scholarships and supplies a local clown - "Happy the Clown" - with balloons.
The Moose gets five or six requests for donations from community groups each week.
"They're penalizing such a great community organization," said Jesse Bane, spokesman for the West Virginia Association of Club Owners & Fraternal Services. "They take care of the community in Nitro."
'Everything is down'
Other fraternal organizations face similar financial struggles.
A Gazette analysis shows video lottery sales have dropped 25 percent on average since July 1 at Kanawha County's six fraternals that operate poker machines.
The Charleston Moose, Eagles Aerie and Veterans of Foreign Wars have watched their limited video lottery sales - the amount of money customers pump into the machines - decrease each month during the past three months.
Nitro Moose's sales dropped two of the past three months, and they're expected to decline significantly again in October.
The St. Albans Moose club bucked the trend. Video lottery sales there have increased by 1 percent on average. The lodge added two poker machines in August, which may have contributed to the slight sales bump.
The Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks Lodge in Charleston suffered the largest video lottery losses - 45 percent on average during the past three months. The club's exalted ruler, Walter Ice, said video lottery sales have always been low at the Elks - only about $8,000 a month.
By comparison, the Nitro Moose did about $152,000 a month in video lottery machine business on average since the club purchased 10 machines in 2004.
But since July, the average has dropped to $79,000 a month. The lodge's video lottery revenue - after the state takes a cut from sales - also has declined from $47,800 a month to $27,000 a month.
"They're losing so much money it's pathetic," Bane said.
Kesling noted that the club's video lottery sales never dropped below $100,000 a month during a 49-month period before the smoking ban took effect.
"There was actually people waiting in line to play the machines," Kesling said.
Now, the lodge's "video machine" room sits empty most days. The expansive first-floor restaurant/bar - normally packed at lunch and dinnertime - also has fewer customers.
"Bar sales, food sales, everything is down," Kesling said. "It's all down."
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - In any other year, Nitro Moose Lodge Administrator Ray Kesling would have approved the $300 request from Nitro High School to buy T-shirts for cheerleaders to toss to fans during basketball games.
But Kesling turned down the request last week. The Moose doesn't have any money to donate to community groups and charities these days.
"We just don't have the funds to do it," Kesling said.
Kesling blames the lodge's recent charitable spending cuts on the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department's expanded smoking ban. The regulations no longer allow smoking at bars, gambling parlors and private clubs such as the Moose.
Nitro Moose's video lottery machine sales have dropped 40 percent on average during the past three months compared to the three months before the smoking regulations took effect on July 1.
Beer, liquor and food sales also declined by a similar percentage, Kesling said.
In response, the Moose and other Kanawha County fraternal organizations have slashed charitable giving in recent weeks.
"The last three years we've donated more than $100,000," Kesling said. "Now it's tough to find the money to donate $100."
In the past, the Nitro Moose has given money to high school sports teams, bands and show choirs. Nitro, Poca, Buffalo, St. Albans, Sissonville and Winfield high schools have received donations.
The club also sponsors Little League baseball teams, funds a handful of scholarships and supplies a local clown - "Happy the Clown" - with balloons.
The Moose gets five or six requests for donations from community groups each week.
"They're penalizing such a great community organization," said Jesse Bane, spokesman for the West Virginia Association of Club Owners & Fraternal Services. "They take care of the community in Nitro."
'Everything is down'
Other fraternal organizations face similar financial struggles.
A Gazette analysis shows video lottery sales have dropped 25 percent on average since July 1 at Kanawha County's six fraternals that operate poker machines.
The Charleston Moose, Eagles Aerie and Veterans of Foreign Wars have watched their limited video lottery sales - the amount of money customers pump into the machines - decrease each month during the past three months.
Nitro Moose's sales dropped two of the past three months, and they're expected to decline significantly again in October.
The St. Albans Moose club bucked the trend. Video lottery sales there have increased by 1 percent on average. The lodge added two poker machines in August, which may have contributed to the slight sales bump.
The Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks Lodge in Charleston suffered the largest video lottery losses - 45 percent on average during the past three months. The club's exalted ruler, Walter Ice, said video lottery sales have always been low at the Elks - only about $8,000 a month.
By comparison, the Nitro Moose did about $152,000 a month in video lottery machine business on average since the club purchased 10 machines in 2004.
But since July, the average has dropped to $79,000 a month. The lodge's video lottery revenue - after the state takes a cut from sales - also has declined from $47,800 a month to $27,000 a month.
"They're losing so much money it's pathetic," Bane said.
Kesling noted that the club's video lottery sales never dropped below $100,000 a month during a 49-month period before the smoking ban took effect.
"There was actually people waiting in line to play the machines," Kesling said.
Now, the lodge's "video machine" room sits empty most days. The expansive first-floor restaurant/bar - normally packed at lunch and dinnertime - also has fewer customers.
"Bar sales, food sales, everything is down," Kesling said. "It's all down."
'There's no money to give'
Things aren't any better at the Charleston Moose. Video lottery sales have dropped 30 percent on average since the smoking ban went into effect.
In recent months, the lodge has struggled even to pay its utilities, said Administrator David Jarrell.
"We're just have a rough time paying our bills," Jarrell said. "I didn't think this thing would hit us this hard, but it did. Our members pay dues. They say they should be able to smoke if they want to."
Like the Nitro Moose, the Charleston lodge has cut back on its donations.
For instance, the Charleston Moose distributed $1,000 to a local Boy Scouts troop last year. This year, the lodge turned down the Boy Scouts' request.
"There's no money to give," Jarrell said.
Kanawha-Charleston Health Board officials and anti-smoking advocates predict sales at fraternal organizations, bars and gambling parlors will rebound in time - after about six months.
Health officials also cite higher gas prices and a sluggish economy for the drop off.
Statewide, limited video sales at bars, fraternal clubs and gambling parlors decreased 3.8 percent on average from April to July compared to the past three months.
"People aren't going out and spending money on entertainment," said Anita Ray, environmental director at the Health Department. "There are a lot of other reasons for their revenue being down."
Kesling and Jarrell don't buy Ray's "it's the economy" argument. Gas prices were escalating before July. West Virginia has weathered the nation's financial crisis better than most states, they said.
The Moose administrators worry their customers will never return. Current Moose members who smoke are talking about not renewing their memberships next year. It will be difficult to get them back, Kesling and Jarrell said.
If things don't turn around soon, both lodges may start laying off bartenders and wait staff.
"It's been a rough three months," Jarrell said. "I don't know about the next three months."
'It breaks my heart'
Last month, the Health Department filed a criminal complaint against the Nitro Moose, alleging the lodge violated the smoking ban. The Nitro lodge is one of six Kanawha County businesses that face misdemeanor charges.
Health inspectors found cigarette butts in the Nitro Moose's third-floor bingo room.
Kesling said about 75 people attend Sunday bingo nights at the lodge. State law exempts nonprofit bingo halls from the county smoking ban. That's the only time smokers are allowed to light up at the Moose.
Kesling said health officials inspected the lodge two days after the bingo event. A Sunday night smoker left behind the cigarette butts, he said.
The Health Department also found ashtrays, ashes and cigarette butts in trashcans throughout the facility, as well as a "strong odor of smoke," according to a criminal complaint.
Kesling said Moose employees warn members about smoking, but not everyone has gotten the message.
"We've had members who've come here 40 years and they're used to smoking," he said.
Kesling said even his wife - she smokes, he doesn't - won't come to the Moose anymore because of the smoking ban. They've joined a VFW Post in Putnam County, where smoking is allowed. It's the first time Kesling has belonged to a fraternal group other than the Moose.
"The Moose is my heart, and it breaks my heart not to be able to see my people come in," Kesling said. "The nicotine habit is keeping them out. They're going someplace else to have a cigarette."
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Posted By: carm1(8:52pm 11-05-2008)
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Does anyone have any idea how much this state is going to loose in taxes and revenue if the KCHD manages to take our civil rights away?
As a smoker I already am discriminated against in my housing, job, insurance, and life insurance. I pay twice as much as a non smoker. I think if I pay dues to the Moose I should be able to smoke! Its private for a reason.
Posted By: kreeker(2:09pm 11-04-2008)
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breathe free make sure u vote for osama so more right will be taken away
Posted By: yogipsk(1:25pm 11-04-2008)
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At least in Iraq we could smoke, that is more freedom than Kanawha county. I have to go to the Putnam VFW because of the ban.
Posted By: breathe free(12:49am 11-04-2008)
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I don't think anyone goes to war for the right to publicly expose others to cancer causing toxins.
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As a smoker I already am discriminated against in my housing, job, insurance, and life insurance. I pay twice as much as a non smoker. I think if I pay dues to the Moose I should be able to smoke! Its private for a reason.