EDGERTON The fourth-annual poker run and raffle fundraiser benefiting homeless veterans in Edgerton returns June 27. Organizers say they hope this years proceeds will help address an unmet need: housing support for women veterans.
The event, co-hosted by American Legion Post of 205 & Buckys Lucky Bell of Janesville, will begin at 8:30 a.m. Poker run participants will stop at various local spots including The Showboat Burgers N Beer, Snuffys Still, 59er Sip & Swing and Last Nite Bar & Grill during the ride.
The American Legion will collect household items, gift cards and cash donations for the tenants of recently-opened homeless veterans apartments at West Fulton Street in Edgerton.
We have such a close working relationship with these families, and for me, providing an equal playing field for kids is hugely important, Sarah Williams, Executive Director of Edgerton Community Outreach said. Thats where our focus comes in with those families and with the kiddos.
Williams organization runs the West Fulton Street Apartments. The apartments are meant to provide housing support specifically for female veterans, who are otherwise underserved. In practice, that means Community Outreach moves female applicants up on the waiting list for the apartments, she explained.
Currently all six units are occupied, with half the units housing at least one woman. Tenants range in age from 28 to 83, Williams said. One former tenant successfully saved and bought a home while staying in one of the units, and subsequently moved out.
Within two weeks, another tenant moved into the vacated space. Williams said all other units have been occupied by the same tenants since the apartments came online.
Rental prices for the units range from $758 per month for a studio-apartment, to $1105 per month for a two-bedroom space, and are based on 2025 affordability standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUDs average prices for 2025 were $955 for a one-bedroom unit, and $1,246 for a two-bedroom unit.
Community Outreach also runs several other housing assistance programs. That includes transitional housing at Lawton Street Home, which allows zero-income residents. The nonprofit bears the brunt of financial risk for those tenants.
At the June 27 benefit, Community Outreach will collect donation items at Buckys Lucky Bell such as paper towels, pots, pans, and bedding as well as gift cards to Walmart, Woodmans and Kwik Trip. Cash donations will also be accepted and used for a range of assistance programs, including rent and utilities assistance and kids sports, club and summer camp fees.
In past years, proceeds from the benefit have supported homeless veterans through Caravilla, a transitional housing service. Ed Quaerna, owner of Buckys Lucky Bell, said he chose Community Outreach after identifying what he saw as a gap in veteran housing support.
We know that there are other entities that help take care of the men, and we werent sure if the women and their families had any support, Quaerna said.
Quaerna said last year the event raised nearly $40,000, which went to support homeless veterans at Caravilla. He expects the funds raised next week to meet or exceed last years amount. About $2,500 to $3,000 of this years funds will go toward male veterans housed by that organization, Quaerna said.
The American Legion will funnel the remaining items and profits to Community Outreach, which will then direct the resources to the six-unit apartment building on the north side of Rock County at West Fulton Street.
Williams said the rent and utilities assistance needs of the Fulton tenants will be addressed first. Community Outreach aims to disburse funds based on interviews with the families, which she says will take place after the fundraiser.
Once the tenants needs are met, any remaining resources will be used to tackle emerging needs of other homeless veterans in Rock County. That would come through a referral from other organizations, including the VFW, American Legion and Rock County VA, Williams said.
We will focus on Fulton Street, but if another organization said they have a veteran in their program, and they just cannot afford to get them a new bed, were extremely good at working with other agencies in Rock County, Williams said. We want to make sure the needs of veterans in our county are met.
All proceeds from the fundraiser will support residents not building development or repair, although fundraising for building improvement is ongoing.
Edgerton City Council approved Community Outreachs purchase of the property at 310-212 West Fulton Street in July 2021 to revitalize the building, which previously housed several stores. The Rock County Board separately approved $300,000 in prior-year sales tax revenue for an affordable housing project for homeless veterans and community space.
The organization was short about $1.2 million last fall, and has since raised about $900,000, with about $300,000 left to meet the projects total cost: $3.2 million.
Although Community Outreach will accept checks for the building fundraising if someone would like to contribute, the organizations principal concern is providing housing for veterans in Rock County, Williams said.
We have a heart for providing housing, she said. If you dont have a home base, everything else falls apart.