Lt. Randy Schneider along with firefighters Andrew and Lauren Stephens, CVFD, recently traveled to Maryland to pick up their new Rescue Series One boat to add to their rescue equipment. The boat was purchased with money from fundraising through online raffles and other fundraisers. (Submitted Photo)

Fire Chief Dave McCoy, Calcutta Volunteer Fire Department, speaks before the Finance Committee at the Ohio State House providing testimony for a bill to allow non-profits to hold online raffles for fundraising. (Submitted photo)

Multiple fire departments and other non-profits across the state including CVFD were using the online raffles as fundraisers for their departments or organizations until a recent Ohio Attorney Opinion recognized that only raffles with paper tickets were permitted, Schneider said.

Schneider said that the attorney general’s office has said the law regarding raffles only allows raffles with paper tickets. As a result, several fire departments received cease and desist letters from the Ohio Attorney General’s office. He noted that CVFD did not receive a letter, but theirs is a smaller department that might not have been noticed at that time as having raffles, but to play it safe put their current raffle on hold.

“Just to make sure we are in compliance with the law, we stopped voluntarily,” Schneider said. “This was an eye opener to everyone; police departments were even having these raffles online. It wasn’t just us. It was police departments, schools, churches and other non-profits.”

CVFD has held a number of online auctions over the summer with prize packages such as concert tickets, kayaks, coolers, grills and more. The department was in the middle of an online raffle for a zero-turn mower until it had to be put on hold while waiting for a decision on the new house bill.

McCoy and Schneider joined with bill sponsors State Rep. Meredith Craig and State Rep. David Thomas to introduce House Bill 476 co-sponsored by State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, which if passed would allow non-profits to hold online raffles.

During House Finance Committee hearings on the bill, fire and police chiefs along with officers were able to speak on behalf of their departments and represented their counties as McCoy and Schneider represented Columbiana County at the Ohio Statehouse.

“Chief David McCoy continues to fight for the Calcutta Vol Fire Dept., the residents of St. Clair Township, all fire/ police departments, Fraternal Order of Police organizations, Schools and all non-profits throughout the state with this bill that gives alternative ways to fundraising,” Schneider said in a social media post. “These online raffles are for non-profit organizations only, for profit businesses & (LLC’s) cannot host raffles paper or online of any kind unless it goes towards a charitable cause.”

Schneider along with firefighters Andrew and Lauren Stephens recently traveled to Maryland to pick up their new Rescue Series One boat to add to their rescue equipment. The boat cost $15,400, of which 70% of the cost was paid for from fundraising money raised over the past three years.

Schneider recalled the Calcutta area flooding back in 2020 and firefighters were out rescuing residents from flooder parking lots and other areas and noted a boat like the one just purchased would have been helpful in that situation or any other flood situation that may happen.

According to Schneider, the House Finance Committee should be wrapping things up in a couple of weeks. At that point they will determine whether to send the bill to the House to vote on. From there, it will go to the Ohio State Senate for a vote and if passed onto the Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to sign into law.

If the bill allows nonprofits to hold online auctions passes, CVFD will resume the raffle for the zero-turn mower. If the bill fails to pass, the money already collected for the raffle will be returned to those who purchased online tickets.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com