What could make an entire roomful of women so quiet you could hear a pin drop? Why Bingo, of course. Daubers at the ready, their eyes glued with total concentration to the sheets in front of them, close to 200 guests vied for donated prizes at the popular 12th annual Bingo Luncheon to benefit the Senior Resource Association.
Guests brought their Big Apple best to the Oak Harbor Club last Wednesday for the New York, New York-themed event featuring, as New Yorkers everywhere will agree is “The City so Nice They Named It Twice.”
“Do you know who I am?” asked Trudie Rainone, resplendent as Lady Liberty, the iconic symbol of freedom and liberty. She added with a laugh, “Sometimes you have to think outside the box.”
Before heading into lunch, pianist Judy Carter put guests into a “New York State of Mind” with a selection of tunes highlighting the City that Never Sleeps as they mingled over mimosas and champagne and perused an assortment of silent auction items. Many were carrying heavy tote-sized handbags, filled with what they hoped would earn a prize in the infamous “purse game.”
“I’ve got my purse filled with stuff,” said Brenda Lloyd, lugging her weighty satchel to the table.
Prior to Bingo, honorary event chairwoman Pud Lawrence presided over the purse game, presenting inverted umbrellas (they close upward to keep moisture away from you) to ladies whose purses held such NYC necessities as plane tickets, a map and earplugs. And when Lawrence called out a votive candle, Lloyd was ready, happily pulling one out of her purse.
The theme carried into the dining room, where lovely rose centerpieces were surrounded by toy replicas of the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and famed yellow taxies, and clever New York Times menus proclaimed a luncheon of Caprese salad with grilled chicken and, of course, New York-style cheesecake.
“I am in fact a novice to Bingo but I am not a novice to fun,” said Anna Valencia-Tillery, who broke the Bingo glass ceiling as the SRA’s first female caller. And, no offense to the men who served so well in the past, but this lovely lady was a non-stop livewire.
The levity aside, the fundraiser served a serious purpose – to help provide nutrition and adult day care to the county’s vulnerable seniors.
Karen Deigl, SRA president/CEO, shared that Meals on Wheels volunteers currently deliver hot, nutritious meals to 220 homebound seniors five days per week, adding that additional volunteers are always needed. Unfortunately, there are currently another 107 people on a wait list, who cannot be accommodated because of a lack of funding.
Adult Day Care is offered at SRA facilities in Vero and Sebastian, providing welcome respite for caregivers whose loved ones cannot stay home alone. The SRA also operates the GoLine public transit system and the door-to-door Community Coach for eligible riders.
For more information, visit www.seniorresourceassociation.org.