By Debbie Adams
Rosie’s Gaming Emporium General Manager Todd Lear spent a good bit of his time on January
14 handing out checks, not paychecks, but donations to causes near and dear to Vinton and the
surrounding community.
Rosie’s has been a dedicated community partner since it first opened in Vinton in 2019 through
both monetary gifts to local non-profits and providing volunteers and support for community
events. Their goal is to “give back” by sharing $100,000 in financial donations to the community
each year.
Lear presented a check for $5,000 to the Vinton Historical Society and Museum to be used for
various projects on its list – funding toward installation of a cargo/personnel lift to provide better
access to the second floor, maintenance of the building, and various programs presented
throughout the year.
Lear presented another check for $5,000 to the Vinton Breakfast Lions Club earmarked for the
Vinton Multigenerational Park to be located on the hillside behind the Vinton War Memorial.
The Lions are partnering with the Town of Vinton on the project.
The third check for $4,000 went to the William Byrd Middle School PTO for the Food Pantry
program for students at the school.
Other organizations receiving grants for the last quarter of 2024 include Blue Ridge Literacy, the
Roanoke Valley SPCA, and Feeding Southwest Virginia.
Last year, Rosie’s also made donations to the D-Day Memorial, the Franklin County Humane Society, the Lions Club Pediatric Cancer Unit fundraiser, and Lishy’s Gift, among others. The staff at Rosie’s also adopted an entire
family of five children for Christmas, providing gifts and a meal.
