Weekly bingo to help Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend
Creative ways to create sustainable funding is something that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend (BGCB) is always striving for. Every Saturday night (excluding holiday weekends) from 5-8:30 p.m., at the Downtown Boys & Girls Club – 500 NW Wall St. Bend, OR 97703, the gym at the Club will be transformed into a full functioning Bingo Hall with a variety of games to offer.
“We are excited to start raising money for the kids in a fun way and bring the community into the Club to see what our organization is all about,” said Devan Davison, Bingo Manager for Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend.
The operation is modeled after B&G Bingo held in Salem that benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of Salem, Marion and Polk Counties. BGCB’s operation is a much smaller scale, but the hope is to profit in ways that will be beneficial for the Clubs at large. Salem’s B&G Bingo raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for their kids. That kind of success is what led the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend to bring something similar to Central Oregon in 2006. Due to high operational costs, Bingo was not successful, now that costs are down, BGCB has a chance to make Bingo into a significant fundraising opportunity.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend (BGCB) seeks to enable and inspire all young people, especially those who need it most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. At their two locations, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend offers youth ages 5-18 life-changing programs, focusing on Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles and Character & Citizenship. For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend, visit www.bgcbend.org.
“We are incredibly excited about this opportunity to engage our community in a fun and exciting way to support our kids,” said Derek Beauvais, Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend. “As a non-profit in these economic times we have to be creative about how we generate revenue and create a sustainable and diverse funding model to support our Club operations. A successful Bingo operation at the Clubs in Bend would mean thousands of dollars available for scholarships for our families that need us most.”
The environment created by the BGCB Bingo staff is one of high energy, and fun. Bingo is held every Saturday night at the Downtown Club. The doors open at 5 p.m. and the games begin at 6 p.m. Players will find a variety of games in the program including speed games, early bird games, regular games, Double Action, Bonanza, and U-Pik-Em, all with a multitude of different patterns. The “buy-in,” or admission is $25 and the payouts are 50/50 splits with all proceeds going directly back to the Club, and most importantly, our kids. BGCB Bingo is a cash only operation, and there is no ATM on site. Also, the operation is 18+ except on specified family-friendly nights which will be listed on the BGCB Bingo Facebook Page. Operation highlights include:
· 22 games
· Variety of patterns
· High payouts depending on the crowd size
· Friendly staff
· Food bar, snacks and beverages
· A fun and social activity every Saturday night!
Questions about BGCB Bingo can be directed to the Club Bingo Manager, Devan Davison at 541-617-2877 Ext. 7, or ddavison@bgcbend.org. More information, including the program can also be found on the Boys & Girls Club website and the BGCB Bingo Facebook page.
