NEW IOWA LOTTERY GAMES
BENEFIT IOWA VETERANS TRUST FUND

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Rep. McKinley Bailey

Stars & Stripes instant-scratch ticket

All American pull-tab ticket

Iowa Veterans Trust Fund logo

Games Expected To Provide $2 Million to $3 Million Annually For Veterans Causes

DES MOINES, Iowa - Veterans from around the state joined in the celebration Monday of the first Iowa Lottery games that will raise money to support veterans and their families through the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.

The first of the veterans-benefit games began sales Monday with the debut of “Stars & Stripes“ a $1 instant-scratch game with a red, white and blue theme. It will be followed by the pull-tab game “All American” that begins sales July 21. The $1 tickets in that game will feature artwork of several patriotic symbols including the Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam.

Rep. McKinley Bailey, D-Webster City, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, was the main sponsor of the legislation that paved the way for Iowa Lottery games dedicated to veterans’ causes. He joined in Monday’s kick-off celebration for the games at Camp Dodge in Johnston.

“This allows us to make veterans a priority every day,” Bailey said told those at the event. “We will create a reliable source of funding for the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. This is a great place to use the proceeds from lottery tickets.”

Gov. Chet Culver signed legislation authorizing the games in March. It calls for the Iowa Lottery to create two new instant-scratch games and two additional pull-tab games each year, with all profits from the games dedicated to the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. The governor was joined by state legislators, government officials and veterans from around the state on March 11 as he signed House File 2359 during a ceremony at the State Capitol.

“Iowa’s veterans have served with dignity and with excellence, and all veterans have the gratitude of every citizen,” Culver said during the ceremony. “Throughout my administration, I have been proud to stand up for these brave Iowans who have fought so hard for our state and nation. Now, we will stand up for them once more, and use Iowa Lottery profits to support our hometown heroes.”

The Lottery estimates that the new games will provide about $2 million to $3 million in proceeds annually for the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.

John Derner, a Gulf War veteran who now serves as Adjutant of The American Legion Department of Iowa, said Monday that the new games will mean valuable assistance to veterans.

“We have been working to find a way to provide a stable, ongoing source of revenue for the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund and I’m pleased to see our efforts reach fruition,” Derner said.

The Iowa Veterans Trust Fund was created to provide assistance to qualified veterans to assist in paying for expenses such as:

• Travel expenses for wounded veterans directly related to follow-up medical care;
• Job training or college tuition assistance;
• Unemployment assistance during a period of unemployment due to prolonged physical or mental illness or disability resulting from military service;
• Dental, vision, and hearing assistance for veterans living in a long-term care facility or under a home healthcare contract (further asset limits apply);
• Benefits for a child or children of a disabled or deceased veteran following September 11, 2001;
• Individual or family counseling programs (further asset limits apply).
• In addition, funds are available for family and children support groups and honor guard reimbursement.

To learn more about the Veterans Trust Fund, visit www.iowava.org.