Fire companies, legislators join together for action on online raffles
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A Lansford firefighter listens as State Representative Russ Diamond, R-102, Annville, speaks.
LLEWELLYN – Representatives from fire companies in Schuylkill and surrounding counties met with the county’s legislative delegation, plus a representative from Lebanon County, to find a way forward for online raffle fundraising.
Doug Buffington, of the Orwin Fire Co. near Tower City, organized the meeting after several fire companies on the county’s west end received a warning letter from the Dauphin County Treasurer’s Office regarding online raffles.
Since the coronavirus pandemic curtailed many of the most effective fundraisers fire companies could hold, they turned to the innovative method to raise funds.
John Desjardine, lieutenant of the Columbia Hose in Shenandoah, attended the meeting, saying that the raffles helped his company tremendously.
“It’s a crucial fundraiser, not only for us, but for every other fire company around,” Desjardine told the Sentinel.
Fire companies from Schuylkill, Dauphin, Carbon, and Lebanon Counties attended the meeting, including, locally, the West End in Mahanoy City, the Ringtown Valley Fire Co., Sheppton-Oneida Fire Co., and Defender Hose.
State Senator David G. Argall, R-29, Reps. Mike Tobash, R-125, Jerry Knowles, R-124, Russ Diamond, R-102, and Representative-elect Joe Kerwin, R-125, were in attendance as well. Representative-elect Tim Twardzik, R-123, would’ve been in attendance, according to Knowles, if not for his positive coronavirus case.
“It’s not just a Schuylkill County issue,” Argall told the crowd. “I don’t know it’s across the state evenly, but it’s a problem here and in other places.”
Argall said that a legislative solution exists in the form of House Bill 2764, introduced by Westmoreland County Rep. Michael Reese. The bill would allow for such raffles to occur.
Currently, the law prohibits the use of credit or debit cards for raffles, and requires that raffles be done on in-person.
Argall, though, expressed concern in how soon that solution could be implemented.
“Our problem is, November is one of our most difficult months. We turn into a pumpkin, according to the state constitution, on November 30,” Argall said. “Anything that we’re going to get done, we have to get done now, or we have to wait until January.”
“There is the possible solution of getting the Governor to do something, but it would probably be better if you talked to him, because he doesn’t talk to us,” Argall added. “Timing is of the essence.”
Knowles described volunteer firefighters as a “group to be reckoned with throughout the Commonwealth.”
Diamond said he sees the odds of the bill passing in November as slim.
“I think the better option for you guys, and all your comrades statewide, is to unify with everybody else across the state and take a unified message to the governor and ask the governor to act,” Diamond said.
Diamond said that, under the ongoing disaster emergency, the governor can bypass the legislative process to address the needs of the disaster, including suspending regulations.
“You guys are directly involved in public safety, you can make that argument to the governor,” Diamond said.
Diamond suggested that fire companies join together and, not only reach out to the governor and fire commissioner, but also to their state legislator.
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