Geneva Legion Post 75 hosts raffle to pay for new HVAC

The Fox River Geneva American Legion Post 75 is selling 500 Keep Vets Cool Raffle tickets for $100 each, hoping to raise enough money to pay for a new HVAC.

Its existing 25-year-old HVAC system is on its last legs, Commander Michael Ferrari said.

“It’s past the end of its life,” Ferrari said. “We have to scrounge parts to fix it. They don’t make the pieces any more, so we have to adapt stuff. The last time we had to fix it, we had to get another part from another thing to adapt it.”

The estimate to replace the rooftop unit is about $40,000, Ferrari said. The post is located at 22 S. Second St.

The organization has already collected some donations towards the project, like $6,300 from the Geneva Community Chest, proceeds from a weekly meat raffle and some savings, Ferrari said.

“We have to have this done before winter,” Ferrari said. “If we don’t have AC or heat, we’re out of business. If we don’t have climate control, we can’t rent the building, and that’s the heart of our post.”

Their solution is the Keep Vets Cool Raffle. Each ticket is $100 and they’re only selling 500 tickets, Ferrari said. Tickets purchases are by cash or check only, Ferrari said.

The first prize is 50%, up to $12,500 cash; second prize is 33%, up to $8,250 cash and third prize is 17%, up to $4,250 cash.

The percentages are calculated in case they don’t sell all 500 tickets, Ferrari said.

Anybody can buy a ticket – but you have to buy them in person – either from a Post 75 member or from the bartenders at Whiskey Bend, 222 W. Main St., St. Charles; The Office, 201 E. Main St., St. Charles; Alley 64, 212 W. Main St., St. Charles; The Dam Bar & Grill, 65 N. River Lane, Geneva; and the Third Street Station, 300 Crescent Place, Geneva. To buy from a Post member, email al.post75@gmail.com and someone will coordinate the sale.

The live drawing will be at 6 p.m. at Whiskey Bend.

Ferrari estimated they’ve sold about 200 tickets since the group started selling them in their beer tent at last month’s Swedish Days festival.

Post member Larry Behrens said the night of the drawing will include a live band with both Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns and St. Charles Mayor Clint Hull in attendance.

“It should be a really good event,” Behrens said.

The HVAC replacement is part of the Legion’s long-term work to upgrade and remodel the aging building, called “Strive for 75.”

Last year, the city of Geneva awarded the Legion $13,200 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to use for the repair or replacement of windows.