The Sons of the American Legion held its annual Night at the Races fundraiser, raising money to support veterans, on Saturday night.
Over 100 people attended the event at the American Legion Hall, on Franklin Street, to support the cause. The funds raised help connect veterans with service dogs, fund trips to visit monuments in Washington, D.C., and help maintain the hall.
“Its kind of like a mini version of the racetrack,” John Hassett Jr., commander of Sons of the American Legion Squadron 44, said.
The event consisted of six races. Before each one, Hassett auctioned off each of the six horses to an “owner” who named and jockeyed the horse for that race. Once each horse was claimed, a dice roll determined how many spaces forward each horse went. The horse that made it to the end of the “racetrack,” or the mat that was divided into 30 spaces, first won.
The winners received prize money and a bottle of wine, and those who placed bets on the winning horse were rewarded as well.
“It gives the community an opportunity to come together and join the American Legion, the Auxiliary, and the Sons of the American Legion,” Pat Alesia, vice commander of American Legion Post 44, said. “To have a nice time, spend a little money, and that money helps veterans in need.”
Alesia served three years active duty in the military and then 27 in the New York Army National Guard before joining the legion.
“We have a lot of fun,” Alan Ruppert, adjutant of Squadron 44, said of the event. “A lot of people in the Malverne community come in and participate a lot, which we appreciate.”
Each bet made on the horses, after they were auctioned off, was $2. Multiple bets could be made on each race, on one or more horses. There were also options to place a triple crown bet for $3 before the first race, on a horse that a bettor believed would win three of the six races, or a daily double bet for $3 on the third and fourth races.
“It’s cost-effective for people to come and just have a good time,” Ruppert said.
“Owners” got to name their horses in each race with the exception of the fifth race, in which they were named Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard, and veterans and their families were encourage to support the branch in which they served.
“We want to help people, help veterans, and give back,” Hassett said. “In order to fundraise, you need to have fun. I want to make this fun. I want people to have a good time and enjoy themselves while raising money.”
The night also included food, a 50/50 raffle, and drinks from the bar.
The Sons of the American Legion is a group of men whose parents or grandparents have served in the military. The Malverne Sons host fundraisers, take part in legion events, and organize the village’s banner project.
“If you drive through Malverne on Hempstead Avenue,” Hassett said, “you’ll find banners of all different veterans that either lived or live in Malverne.”
For more information on the Sons or about Legion events, email MalverneSAL@gmail.com.
