Past Events

Our Story

‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’ began in early 2017 when Gavin Long, now Commander, challenged Bill Thomas to “come up with a large money-maker” for the Post, the SAL, or the Auxiliary. After some careful thought, a Basket Raffle Lunch was in the works. The auxiliary’s Regina Goldman was instantly on board. For the next year and a half, the two would have daily car phone meetings and brainstorm every aspect. Late in 2018, Diane Tatman, Crystal Kahut, and Bill’s wife Jane joined them to finish the plans and sell out an April 13, 2019 event in the banquet room, with the anticipation of raising $5,000. Our generous Legion Family shared the excitement and donated more than enough raffle baskets and bought 200 tickets to the event.

March 2019 was a bad month for the ‘Girls’ team. With the COVID shutdown, the lunch was cancelled. Early Summer, 2019, Diane Tatman reminded us that her extra bedrooms were still packed full of more than $12,000 worth of prizes, gifts, TV’s, bikes and more. According to Diane, “I am tired of dusting all of this stuff.” Come to find out, Post 598 is blessed with 8 acres of open park space. The event was moved outdoors and was rescheduled for September 2019 with at least 20 feet between the tables. With a live band, as part of the new plan, the Team was able to sell 350 tickets to the event and raised $13,000.

Now here it is, 4 years later, and the same team, still together, can now boast attendance over 600, raffle prizes valued in excess of $20,000 yearly, and $80,000 in total monies raised to make an impactful benefit to our veteran community.

Main Sponsors

Title Sponsor

Website Sponsor

Wine Sponsor

Band Sponsor

TIM LEONARD

Tent Sponsor

Metropolitan is the official Dry Cleaner of GJWTHF

General Sponsors

1 Star General Sponsor: $50
2 Star General Sponsor: $100
3 Star General Sponsor: $250
4 Star General Sponsor: $500
5 Star General Sponsor: $1,000

FIVE STAR SPONSORS
Nicki Cochran

FOUR STAR SPONSORS
Diana Geiger
John & Beth Horvath
Cindy  & Matt Deppen

THREE STAR SPONSORS
Crystal Kahut
South Metro Republicans

TWO STAR SPONSORS
Civista Bank
Linda Lowman
Mary Poeppelmeier
Joann Svellinger
Toni Winger
Jean Deppen Wills
Julie Moon
Hot Head Burritos
Theresa Jackson

ONE STAR SPONSORS
Debbie Jaruisevic
Julene Powers

Basket Sponsors

Support These Restaurants, Retailers and Their Workers

Acquisition Team

Rick Busch
Rhonda Carnal
Carol Zimmerman
Karen Lewis

Photos

Diana Geiger, Nicki Cochran & Bob Casper, Rick & Lee Anne Sloan, Tim Leonard & Venus, RetireMed Group Photo,  John & Beth Horvath

Lunch Sponsor: $5000

8-foot banner, Lobby Signage
Newsletter & Weekly Announcements
Logo on all 600 Lunch Boxes
Logo at all Raffle Ticket Tables
20 tickets to event, September 16

Raffle Ticket Sponsor $2500

8-foot banner, Lobby Signage
Newsletter & Weekly Announcements
Logo on 600 raffle ticket envelopes
20 tickets to event, September 16

‘General’ Sponsors Include:

September Lobby Signage
Recognition at event

1 Star General Sponsor: $50
2 Star General Sponsor: $100
3 Star General Sponsor: $250
Includes: 2 Tickets to event
4 Star General Sponsor: $500
Includes: 4 tickets to event
5 Star General Sponsor: $1,000
Includes: 8 tickets to event

If you or your business would like to make a difference with your support, please contact Bill Thomas at [email protected]

The American Legion Auxiliary has recently turned 100. This is a time not only to celebrate the achievements of the last century, but also to look ahead to our next century, when a new generation of veterans, service members, and their families will depend on the American Legion Auxiliary.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun, a benefit Raffle Lunch, Saturday, September 16, 2023, at our own Legion 598, will be the highlight of our 2023 Fundraiser Campaign.

• Donate a complete Auction Basket
• Donate items to be part of a Basket
• Donate gift certificates
• Donate an In-Kind Donation like services
• Donate monetarily with sponsorship
• 501 (c)(3) Tax Exempt

Please join us by supporting our fourth annual Raffle Lunch. Your participation can be offered in a variety of ways. We will be sure to recognize your generosity at our event, during weekly announcements, lobby signage, to our membership of 3,000 and Facebook followers. If you or your business would like to make a difference with your support, please contact Bill Thomas, at 937-620-6417 or Email:  [email protected].

We are again planning a lunch event, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, on Saturday, September 16, 2023. We are expecting to sell out the event with more than 600 ladies. Plans are to raffle and auction gift baskets and gift certificates from local businesses. This is a big deal!

In only 4 years we will have managed to raise more than $80,000. Over the years, Auxiliary monies that we have raised were able to provide a veteran with a bike from AMBUCS and another veteran a brand-new customized power wheelchair. We provide much needed items to the VA, give to Blue Star Mothers so they could send care packages to our deployed men and women, and provide food and clothes baskets to those in need. Just recently, we were able to offer a local veteran the gift of a life changing service dog.

With your help, 2023 will bring the opportunity to do the same good for our veterans, current military, and their families. 2023 monies are dedicated to the Joseph House which offers treatment and recovery programs designed to empower Southwest Ohio veterans and their families suffering from PTSD and addiction to help make positive changes in their lives. A new facility, currently under construction, should be complete by Spring, 2024.

Check out what Joseph House has been up to!

LINK: Joseph House breaks ground on new Camp Washington facility