Aug 5, 2005 9:56 am US/Central
VFW Post Blames Low Business On Smoking Ban
by Jason DeRusha
Hopkins, Minn. (WCCO) ―
VFW Posts are more than just places where veterans socialize. The posts are also major charitable contributors, but some posts said they are putting the donations on hold.
The reason some posts give: the Hennepin County smoking ban.
The VFW Post 425 in Hopkins, Minn. has seen a 20 percent decline at the bar in recent months.
"I knew it was gonna be bad," said Mark Peterson, the VFW gambling manager. "I didn't think it was gonna be this bad."
"And you're telling me a 91-year-old vet of World War II shouldn't be able to smoke a cigar at his own post?" asked VFW bartender Carolyn Dreeszen. "That's ridiculous."
The real bad luck is at the pulltab counter, where business is down nearly 30 percent. That money should be going to charity.
"We've suspended all of our donations right now, until we find out how well we're gonna weather this," said Peterson.
The post planned on donating another $30,000 to scholarships, school groups and baseball teams, but now, the vets have a bigger worry.
"What's in jeopardy is closing the doors of the building," said Peterson.
Bob Moffitt is the spokesperson for the American Lung Association. He's not convinced the smoking ban is to blame for the drop in business.
"Why are they leaving?" Moffitt asked. "Are they leaving the club over a lousy cigarette? Veterans clubs have been declining for years. Most fraternal clubs have been declining in membership for years and importantly, charitable gambling has been declining for years."
The post has built an outdoor patio to let people smoke. It is also offering a karaoke night to try to bring in non-smoking business.
The efforts have not been successful and now the post has appealed to the government, sending letters to Sen. Steve Kelly, County Commissioner Linda Koblick and others.
Initially, there was confusion about the reception of those letters, but all intended recipients of the letters now have a copy.
Hennepin County is studying how the smoking ban has affected businesses and the results of that study could lead to a partial lifting of the ban. That could make the ban similar to Ramsey County's, where some smoking is allowed.
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