Charitable gambling-once a juggernaut in Indiana-has declined in recent years due to the challenges navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and its ensuing supply chain disruptions and inflation, with many organizations closing down completely.

Small organizations, in particular, struggled the most during those lean months, and many are still trying to recover.

Kendra Waymira has worked at American Legion Post #437, in Selma, on and off for the last two decades, overseeing the organization’s charitable gambling activities. The money helps maintain their physical location-covering building maintenance and utility bills-and also gives back to the community, sponsoring middle school students’ annual trip to Washington D.C.