Suffolk VFW Receives Post Improvement Grant from Churchill Downs Incorporated and Virginia Veterans Foundation

SUFFOLK, Va. (December 5, 2025)—This week, Churchill Downs Incorporated and the Virginia Veterans Foundation announced a charitable contribution of $2,500 to Joe Bagley VFW Post 2582 (Suffolk) to make needed upgrades and updates to the Post. VFW Post 2582 was established in 1938 and its current building on Pughsville Road is nearly eighty years old.

This contribution for the Post’s upgrades is the fourth grant from the Colonial Downs VFW Post Home Improvement Grant program, which was created with a $25,000 charitable contribution made by Churchill Downs Incorporated as part of its Salute to Service during the 2025 Festival of Racing at Colonial Downs Racetrack. Previous grants helped John Lyon VFW Post 3150 (Arlington) improve its accessibility, supported VFW Post 776 (Radford-Montgomery County) in its recovery from a recent break-in, and helped VFW Post 176 (Newport News) make needed upgrades and updates. 

“Churchill Downs is proud to support VFW Post 2582 and the Hampton Roads veterans it serves,” said Aaron Palmer, Director of Virginia Government Relations for Churchill Downs Incorporated, owner and operator of Colonial Downs Racetrack and Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums. “We were honored to provide the financial support that created the Post Home Improvement Grant and are gratified to see it being put to such good use.”

“For nearly 100 years, VFW Post 2582 has been a place of support, refuge, and fellowship for the brave men and women who have served our country,” said Delegate Nadarius Clark (84^th District—Suffolk/Isle of Wight/Franklin). “I am thrilled to see Churchill Downs and the Virginia Veterans Foundation stepping up to support this anchor of our community and to recognize Post 2582’s enduring impact on Hampton Roads.”

“Our Post greatly appreciates this support from Churchill Downs and the Virginia Veterans Foundation,” said Richard Nelson, Post 2582 Commander “This grant will allow us to make needed upgrades to our Post home to make it an even more welcoming and comfortable place for Suffolk’s veterans.”

“On behalf of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Virginia, I want to thank the good people at Colonial Downs Racetrack, and the entire Churchill Downs organization, for supporting veterans in Suffolk and all across the Commonwealth,” said VFW Virginia State Commander Doug Hoffman. “This grant will help ensure Post 2582 can continue to support our veterans as it has done since 1938.”

Churchill Downs Incorporated, owner and operator of Colonial Downs Racetrack and Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums in Hampton and around the state, contributes to local organizations and causes through special programs like the Colonial Downs VFW Post Home Improvement Grant and its “Rosie’s Gives Back” program, which has made more than $5.4 million in direct donations and in-kind contributions, and donated thousands of hours of volunteer service. The program supports a range of nonprofits and causes around Virginia including groups providing services in education, workforce development, healthcare, and support for veterans and law enforcement. The goal of the Rosie’s Gives Back program is to meaningfully improve the quality of life in the communities where team members live and work. The company also partners with statewide programs for the broadest impact possible.

The Virginia Veterans Foundation(VVF) is the official charitable foundation for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Department of Virginia. The mission of the VVF is to support the programs and operations of the Department and to support veterans, active-duty military, and their families. The VFW is one of the largest, and most charitable, veterans service organizations in Virginia. Virginia has 122 VFW posts and 36,000 members, including auxiliaries, in every region of the Commonwealth.