Good Intent Hose Company No. 1 of Llewellyn has suspended its weekly online raffles after receiving a directive from a Commonwealth agency to cease the fundraising activity.
The volunteer fire company announced Saturday that the online raffles, which have become a significant source of operational funding since 2020, will be discontinued immediately while the organization evaluates its legal and legislative options.
Good Intent began using online raffles during the COVID-19 pandemic as nonprofit organizations searched for alternatives to traditional in-person fundraising.
According to the fire company, proceeds generated over the past six years have helped fund emergency response equipment, facility improvements and community programs.
Raffle proceeds have contributed to the purchase of three fire apparatus, structural firefighting gear and upgrades to portable radio communications equipment. The money has also been used for repairs and improvements to the company's engine bay, buildings and grounds.
Beyond fire company operations, proceeds have supported local Scouts, youth sports organizations, an animal shelter and other community initiatives.
The company did not identify the Commonwealth agency that issued the directive in its announcement.
Good Intent said it will comply with the directive while working with legal counsel and state lawmakers to determine its next steps.
“We understand that this decision will be disappointing to many of our supporters, and it is certainly disappointing to our members as well,” said Paul Kennedy, public information officer for Good Intent Hose Company No. 1. “These raffles have provided an incredible resource for our organization and, ultimately, for the community we serve.”
The fire company pointed to Pennsylvania's Local Option Small Games of Chance Act, which was originally enacted in 1988 and has been amended numerous times since then, including significant changes in 2012 and 2013.
Good Intent contends that the state's regulatory framework has not adequately kept pace with advances in technology and the way nonprofit organizations now conduct fundraising.
“Our responsibility is to operate within the law,” Kennedy said. “At the same time, we believe Pennsylvania needs to have a conversation about how its Small Games of Chance laws apply to modern technology and modern fundraising. We intend to be part of that conversation.”
The fire company said it is engaging with state legislators in Schuylkill County and elsewhere in Pennsylvania regarding possible changes to the Small Games of Chance Act.
Good Intent supports establishing rules that would allow eligible nonprofits, including volunteer fire companies, to use online technology for fundraising while maintaining regulatory safeguards and oversight.
“This issue extends well beyond Good Intent,” Kennedy said. “Volunteer fire companies and other nonprofit organizations throughout Pennsylvania rely on fundraising to purchase equipment, maintain facilities, train their members and continue providing essential services. As technology evolves, the laws governing nonprofit fundraising need to evolve with it.”
The suspension does not affect the company's other fundraising efforts. Good Intent plans to continue holding its bi-weekly bingo events and an upcoming Chinese auction this spring.
The company also thanked those who participated in and promoted its online raffles during the past six years.
“Every ticket purchased, every share, and every contribution has made a difference,” Kennedy said. “The equipment we have purchased, the improvements we have made, and the people and organizations we have been able to support are tangible examples of what this community has accomplished together.”
Good Intent Hose Company said additional information will be released as it becomes available.