Valley Springs kids restock school supplies at Christmas vacation bingo
By:
Jill Meier, Journal editor
Kenny Bodewitz took charge of calling the bingo game numbers Friday afternoon at the Valley Springs American Legion Hall. Youngsters played for a chance to win school school supplies. Jill Meier/BV Journal
Vivian Johnson (left side of table) Emma Schoolcraft, Kasey Johnson and Addison Larsen showed up Friday afternoon to play bingo for school supply prizes. The Christmas vacation break event was an endeavor of the Charles R. Doman American Legion Post 131 Auxiliary. Jill Meier/BV Journal
Kacey Johnson crosses her fingers in hopes the right number will be called on her bingo card. Jill Meier/BV Journal
Hank Williams giggles as Kacey Johnson indicates she needs just two numbers to yell “Bingo.” Jill Meier/BV Journal
The odds of winning were good. Actually, the odds of winning were a sure thing, considering just five youngsters showed up at the Valley Springs American Legion Hall Friday afternoon to snag a prize – a notebook, a box of markers, a glue stick or other assorted school supply prizes – that is, if they were the lucky kid to cry out, “Bingo!”
This was the third year the Charles R. Doman American Legion Auxiliary sponsored the mid-holiday break event – New Year – New Supplies Bingo - according to Post 131 Auxiliary president Gloria Bonjour. And for the third year, they played “bingo, the VA way,” Bonjour pointed out.
Bingo, the “VA way”, she explains, essentially assures that everyone wins a prize – or a slug of prizes.
Bonjour said the Auxiliary initially held the event prior to the start of the school year. But Bonjour, a former teacher herself, said there is always a need for a new notebook or new pencils at this point of the school year.
“This gives kids something to do after Christmas and after the batteries go dead in their electronics,” she said.
Kasey Johnson and younger sister, Vivian, were two of the five kids who restocked their school supplies by playing Bingo Friday afternoon.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Kasey, who already had three “Bingo” wins to her credit with two more sets yet to play. “It gives you time to be around friends and have a good time, too.”
