Bill puts fair rats back on track

PALMER -- At this year's Alaska State Fair, the Palmer Elks Rat Race pulled in just over $18,000 for charity, all thanks to some changes in legislation.

A charity fund-raiser and longtime fair tradition, the Elks Rat Race has been raising money for half a century to support youth programs, veteran programs and a variety of other community programs aimed at improving the quality of life in the Valley.

"We run this rat race strictly to benefit our community," said Brian Davis, the lodge secretary, "especially to support our youth programs."

Two years ago, Alaska's attorney general, Gregg Renkes, issued a legal opinion that certain traditional games of chance were illegal under the current statute, according to his interpretation. The Elks volunteer-staffed charity event that raises nearly $20,000 every year and had been operating at the Alaska State Fair for more than 50 years was suddenly deemed an illegal operation. The Elks were told they could continue charitable gaming operations that were already in existence until legislators had a chance to deal with the issue. That provision allowed them to run the games last year. This year, thanks to sponsor Rep. Bill Stoltze, R-Butte/Chugiak, and a number of state representatives who signed on as co-sponsors, House Bill 366, the Animal Classics Charitable Gaming bill, passed the house and the senate and was signed by the governor in July. This bill specifically allowed for the Elks Rat Race to continue. Stoltze, a member of the Lions Club and Elks, was familiar with the good done by these fund-raising events and felt strongly about getting the bill passed.

"I am extremely pleased to see this piece of legislation signed by the governor," Stoltze said in July. "This law will allow nonprofit organizations to continue their methods of fund-raising and to continue a longtime Alaska State Fair tradition."

The overall operation costs for the Elks to run the event total about $3,000 a year and allow them, on average,

to add more than $15,000 to their charity fund each year in just 10 days at the state fair.

It was up in the air after Renkes's ruling as to whether or not the Rat Race was going to continue to be a fair tradition. Rat Race volunteers said a lot of fair-goers felt that a void would have been left in the absence of the Palmer Elks Rat Race booth at the Alaska State Fair, and were very happy to see it there again this year.

For more information about the Palmer Elks or the Rat Race, contact Brian Davis at 745-3950.

Contact Michael White at mike.white@frontiersman.com.