CHARITIES, Inc.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Roger Friend | Glenn Hickman | Jason Rue | Charles Stennis | Arnold Whatley
Charities, INC. Points of Contact
Charles Stennis
President / Chairman
- 740-513-1722
- cstennis228@yahoo.com
Shirley Espenshade
Executive Secretary
- 740-513-1722
- espenshade@ohiolegion.com
Posts please be advised – The new Instant Bingo Fundraising Contract is now available and will take effect on 1 January 2026.
YOUR CURRENT INSTANT BINGO FUNDRAISING CONTRACT EXPIRED DECEMBER 31, 2025!!! New contracts have been emailed to our participating Posts @ mid-October 2025 and can also be downloaded.
After you have completed all the Post information including the signature page, return the entire document to us at espenshade@ohiolegion.com. We will work quickly to return the finished signature page to you. As in the past, you do not need to provide a letter of good standing. We have already submitted the master list to the Attorney General’s office. Filing with the Attorney General begins November 1st.
Internal Control Procedure and Policy
Available for download below is a copy of the document, “Internal Control Procedure and Policy” created to guide Posts on how to conduct the new E-Instant Bingo games. Posts need to provide some proof of their e-bingo internal control when registering with the Attorney General’s office and this document meets the criteria.
Charities Financial Request Form
Donate to Ohio Legion Charities, Inc.
Winter 2026 Donation Grants and Sweepstakes Winners!
2026 CHARITIES, INC. WINTER GRANTS
| Amerian Legion Department of Ohio Charities, Inc. Issued nearly $330,000 in Grants During the Mid-Winter Conference in Columbus |
|
| Organization | Program |
| American Legion Department of Ohio | Support Programs & Expenses |
| DISTRICT SUPPORT for Legion, Auxiliary, and SAL Charities | |
| Cleveland American Veterans Association (CAVA) | For a truck to help Veterans |
| Challenged Champions Equestrian Center | Horses for Veterans (Commanders Project) |
| Dan Fout Memorial Disabled Veterans Hunt | Disabled Veteran Outing |
| Department of Ohio MEMO - Lead National Candidate |
Donation to Leading Candidate Jay Bowen, presented at Washington Conferernce |
| Fisher-Nightingale House, Inc | Guest Housing |
| Save 22 | Suicide Prevention |
| Treats4thestreets | Suppport the homeless |
| Ride with Valor | Sponsorship for Veterans Housing Solutions |
| Black Swamp Veteran Golf League | Golf League for Veterans |
| Patriots on the Fly | Fly fishing for Vets |
| Civil Air Patrol | Summer Encampmentt for Kids |
2026 Winter Sweepstakes Campaign Winners – Mid-Winter Conference Drawing
| Amerian Legion Department of Ohio Charities, Inc. held their semi-snnual Sweepstakes Drawing at the close of the Mid-Winter Conference held in Columbus on Sunday, January 18, 2026. Congratulations to all the winners. |
||
| Name | City | ST |
| James Adams | Stow | OH |
| Charles Bauer | Monroeville | OH |
| Leonard Beal | New Franklin | OH |
| Charles Bennett | Dayton | OH |
| Steven Bernhardt | Mount Orab | OH |
| Albert Beyer | Bellville | OH |
| Kenneth Bonnell | Marysville | OH |
| Ty Bowers | Bucyrus | OH |
| Orlin Brooks | Seaman | OH |
| Joseph Campana | Brookfield | OH |
| Tod Cyester | Dayton | OH |
| John Dorris | Newark | OH |
| Terry Downton | Lima | OH |
| Melissa Fowle | Troy | OH |
| William Gifford | Canfield | OH |
| Charles Gleydura | Hubbard | OH |
| Charles Harris | Canton | OH |
| Edward Hogan | Loveland | OH |
| Dick Johnson | Bellaire | OH |
| Edward Karr | Clyde | OH |
| Jeffrey Kinnison | Lorain | OH |
| Leo Krecji | Concord Township | OH |
| Eugene Labut | Uniontown | OH |
| Thomas Lafaire | Creston | OH |
| Eugene Lennartz | Fort Recovery | OH |
| Robert Liggett | Wauseon | OH |
| Charles Mann | Tiro | OH |
| Clifford Martin | Willard | OH |
| Gordon McLaughlin | Toledo | OH |
| Gary Melssen | Sandusky | OH |
| Robert Moore | Toronto | OH |
| Kevin Motter | Montpelier | OH |
| John Murray | Bellville | OH |
| Thomas Privett | Brooklyn | OH |
| Ronald Pusateri | Westerville | OH |
| Sonia Rittenhour | Bucyrus | OH |
| Ronald Roberts | Van Wert | OH |
| Melissa Rodgers | Elyria | OH |
| John Sabo | Lakewood | OH |
| Kenneth Samsa | Wickliffe | OH |
| Richard Schroeder | Cincinnati | OH |
| A Setlock | Wickliffe | OH |
| Thomas Shannon | Bellevue | OH |
| Eric Shaw | Venice | FL |
| James Shipley | Zanesville | OH |
| Richard Silver | Cleveland | OH |
| W Bruce Tolle | Johnstown | OH |
| James Walker | Alliance | OH |
| Brad Watts | Wooster | OH |
| Rick White | Dayton | OH |
| Karlin Wyse | Archbold | OH |
American Legion Posts Represented at the Attorney General's Instant Bingo Training Session January 17, 2026
| City | Post # |
| Akron | 566 |
| Amherst | 118 |
| Ansonia | 353 |
| Bainbridge | 14 |
| Beallsville | 768 |
| Bellaire | 52 |
| Berea | 91 |
| Bowling Green | 45 |
| Brook Park | 610 |
| Bucyrus | 181 |
| Cadiz | 34 |
| Camden | 377 |
| Cardington | 97 |
| Celina | 210 |
| Chilicothe | 62 |
| Cincinnati | 72 |
| Cincinnati | 484 |
| Coldwater | 470 |
| Cuyahoga Falls | 281 |
| Englewood | 707 |
| Findley | 96 |
| Gallipolis | 27 |
| Greentown | 436 |
| Huntsville | 381 |
| Johnstown | 254 |
| Leetonia | 131 |
| Lithopolis | 677 |
| Logan | 78 |
| London | 105 |
| Marion | 162 |
| Marysville | 79 |
| Miamisburg | 165 |
| Mt Sterling | 417 |
| Newburgh Hts | 627 |
| Newton Falls | 236 |
| Norwalk | 41 |
| Ottawa | 63 |
| Painesville | 336 |
| Powhatan Pt | 228 |
| Ravenna | 331 |
| Riverside | 776 |
| Scio | 482 |
| Shadyside | 521 |
| Toledo | 335 |
| Toledo | 587 |
| Urbana | 120 |
| Utica | 92 |
| Vandalia | 668 |
| Wadsworth | 170 |
| Washington CH | 25 |
| Waverly | 142 |
| Wellston | 371 |
| Whitehall | 490 |
| Winterville | 557 |
Summer 2025 Donation Grants & Sweepstakes Winners!
2025 CHARITIES, INC. SUMMER CONVENTION GRANTS
The American Legion Department of Ohio Charities, Inc. Committee met prior to the start of 2025 Department Convention in Independence.
The following are the latest recipients of grants totaling nearly $500,000.
RECIPIENTS:
Alpha 11 Veterans Logistics, Inc
American Legion Department of Ohio
Buckeye Girls State
Camp Lazarus
Chillicothe VA
Clermont Housing Corporation
Coldwater Boy Scouts - Supplies for Training
Eagle Scout Project - Memorial for Col Gordon Roberts
Federal City Associates
Irreverant Warriors
Lutheran Social Services
Mercer Co Fair - Jessical Lynch POW
Mom's Food Pantry
Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame
Ohio Veterans Memorial Park
Putnam County YMCA
Richland County 2025 Honor Bus Trip
Toledo Lucas County Memorial Day Association
Vet Ohio Expo
Veterans First Initiative
Post Home Improvement Grant Update:
We’re pleased to share that 12 Posts applied for and received grants to support repairs and improvements to their Post homes. These enhancements help ensure our facilities remain safe, welcoming, and functional for our members and communities.
Please note: The grant program is now suspended, and we are no longer
accepting new applications at this time.
2025 SWEEPS WINNERS DEPARTMENT CONVENTION
Congratulations to Our Winners! We are pleased to announce the winners of the Department of Ohio Charities, Inc. sweepstakes drawing held in Independence, Ohio. The drawing took place after the American Legion Convention. A total of $13,500 was paid out which included an additional $250 to each in attendance.
Arthur Allio Warren OH
Robert Baker Barberton OH
Richard Barnes Berlin Center OH
Mickey Blanton Middletown OH
Philip Borger Franklin OH
Stanley Byczkiewicz Madison OH
Clyde Card Westerville OH
Carla Cavanagh Sagamore Hills OH
Oliver Christian Talcott WV
Richard Davis Bay Village OH
Steve Ferry Wapakoneta OH
Charles Fredricks Amelia OH
Paul Gardocki Pickerington OH
Larry Hamsher Dalton OH
Joyce Hannum Chagrin Falls OH
Donald Hull Duncan Falls OH
I J Larter Wheelersburg OH
Robert Kaulig Bonita Springs FL
Donald King, Sr Canton OH
Jay Korte Celina OH
Lewis Kramer Marion OH
Jerald Lange Cleves OH
Thomas Long McArthur OH
James Love Worthington OH
John McCloud Bellaire OH
Charles McFarland Butler OH
Rex Mellott Tiffin OH
Richard Meredith Lima OH
Kenneth Meyers Broadview Hts OH
Gary Miller Lancaster OH
James Mohr Harrison OH
Jose Natal Cleveland OH
Paul Novak Olmsted Twp OH
Anrew Osagie-Erese Eastlake OH
Michael Otcasek Cleveland OH
Alfred Parker Cleveland OH
Jason Patterson Cuyahoga Falls OH
Terence Phillips Massillon OH
John Schaefer Sylvania OH
Richard Schindler Bryan OH
Daniel Schutt Antwerp OH
Tom Shaw Mount Vernon OH
Chris Shaw Venice FL
David Taylor Beallsville OH
Richard Vogelsong Heath OH
Robert White Montpelier OH
Kyle Wolter Akron OH
CHARITABLE OHIO
The office of Ohio Attorney General, Dave Yost, has made a interactive website specific to “CHARITABLE OHIO”!
There is a lot of information relating to Charitable gaming, fundraising, Bingo, and Charities in general.
at https://charitable.ohioago.gov
Consider requesting a representative from the Charitable Law Section to attend your District Conferences.