2005 Byler Award of Excellence

Southeastern Virginia Chapter – ALSA

Governor Warner's Chief of Staff William H. Leighty and Charitable Gaming Board Chair Ruth Modlin Ellett present the Byler Award for the Southeastern Virginia Chapter – ALSAC to Teresa Seay.

Southeastern Virginia Chapter of American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities, Inc. (ALSAC) is a chapter of the exclusive fundraising arms of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital located in Memphis, Tennessee. St. Jude provides medical care to children from all over the world, specializing in treatment of cancer-related and catastrophic illnesses. St. Jude’s provides treatment to all patients in need regardless of their ability to pay and is able to carry out this policy thanks to the charitable fund raising efforts of ALSAC.

The Southeastern Virginia Chapter has held a charitable gaming permit since November 2000. Their 2004 Raffle yielded a $459,000 charitable contribution to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital . In four years of holding charitable raffles, the organization has generated total charitable gaming receipts of more than $2.9 million.

We commend the Southeastern Virginia Chapter of ALSAC for their commitment to St. Jude’s. There is no doubt that this outstanding support has contributed to the success of St. Jude’s medical research and the delivery of services to children in need.

Spout Spring Ruritan Club

Governor Warner's Chief of Staff William H. Leighty and Charitable Gaming Board Chair Ruth Modlin Ellett present the Byler Award for the Spout Spring Ruritan Club to Alice Lane, Treasurer.

The Spout Spring Ruritan Club has held a charitable gaming permit since December 1996 and has generated nearly $10.5 million in total gaming receipts. Inspections and audits of their gaming operations have demonstrated their commitment to complying with state laws and regulations while providing sound management of their operation.

The Spout Spring Ruritan Club has also demonstrated a solid commitment to their community through their support of a variety of community activities. A few examples of this include:

Donating $25,000 to the Appomattox Community Park
Providing $25,000 to the Appomattox Literacy Program
Providing many scholarships to colleges and universities, and trade schools.
Donations to Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Free Clinic of Virginia
Donations to local volunteer fire departments and rescue squads.

We congratulate the Spout Spring Ruritan Club for stepping up and making a true difference in their community.

Warwick Moose Lodge 1711

Governor Warner's Chief of Staff William H. Leighty and Charitable Gaming Board Chair Ruth Modlin Ellett present the Byler Award for the Warwick Moose Lodge to Robert Drake, Treasurer and Administrator.

The Warwick Moose Lodge has held a charitable gaming permit since September 1996. They have generated charitable gaming receipts to date in excess of $11.7 million. Inspections and audits of their large charitable gaming operations have proven that they are always conscientious in managing their games, accounting for funds and meeting the reporting requirements of the Department.

As part of the Loyal Order of Moose, the Warwick Lodge 1711 has demonstrated dedication to bettering the lives of children and elderly in need, and to improving their community. They have shared funds generated from charitable gaming within their community in many forms, such as:

Working with and making donations to the American Cancer Society and their Relay for Life program
Providing donations to the American Heart Association, and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation--to name a few
Contributions to local fire departments
Donations to the Massey Cancer Center and the Shriner’s Hospital
Support of the Newport News D.A.R.E. programs
Providing funds for the purchase of smoke detectors in conjunction with the Newport News Fire Department

Warwick Moose Lodge has a long and impressive history of providing good will in their community, and more importantly, of taking good care of their bingo players. We commend them for their efforts.

Francis Marion Post 4667

Governor Warner's Chief of Staff William H. Leighty and Charitable Gaming Board Chair Ruth Modlin Ellett present the Byler Award for the Francis Marion VFW Post 4667 to Bill Sword, Bingo Chairman and Quartermaster.

The Francis Marion VFW Post 4667 has held a charitable gaming permit since January 1997. Today they are setting a new record in that they are the first three-time Award of Excellence recipient; they previously received the award in 2000 and 2002.

VFW Post 4667 members volunteer for many community projects and provide countless volunteer hours towards providing their honor guard for military rites and other ceremonies throughout Southwest Virginia and adjacent states in honor of their comrades. They continue to impact their community with the funds generated from their charitable gaming activities. The list of outstanding contributions to their community includes:

Donations to the local public school systems and school clubs
Providing multiple technical and academic scholarships
Supporting local volunteer fire departments and rescue squads
Donations to American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, and American Diabetes Society, community action programs and literacy programs

We once again congratulate VFW Post 4667 for their outstanding charitable contributions not only to their community, but also to their continued commitment to our veterans and their families.