Allied Charities of Minnesota, the statewide organization of charitable gambling groups, will be hosting an informational meeting in Austin for all charitable gambling organizations in the region today at 7 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Eagles Aerie 703 at 107 11th St., N.E.

King Wilson, executive director of ACM, will be the featured speaker. Church Kruger, ACM Region 10 director from Byron, will convene the meeting.

Dick Horn, president of ACM, said, “Non-profit organizations across the state are struggling to keep charitable gambling alive. We’re finding increasing expenses, burdensome state taxation, and the demands of state regulation are making it more difficult for our organizations to have funds necessary to donate in our communities. In addition, we are contending with the effects of a statewide smoking ban plus a bad economy.”

Horn continued, “The charitable gambling study mandated by the 2008 Legislature hopefully will present an opportunity for some relief for these community organizations.”

Additional topics for discussion will include a wrap-up of the 2008 Legislative Session including charitable gambling law changes, statewide smoking ban impacts, the 2008 ACM legislative program development, the 18th Annual Minnesota Lawful Gambling Convention and Expo program in Duluth on Nov. 20-22, and a general question and answer session.

The meeting is open to anyone involved or interested in charitable gambling. For more information on this important meeting call Chuck Kruger at 373-3775 or King Wilson at (651) 224-4533.