There’s a new game in town that’s drawing crowds. And those crowds not only have the opportunity to win money in a fun environment, they are helping support area youth while playing.
Oldham County Athletic Boosters (OCAB) has worked together to offer Bingo nights twice a month. The events are fundraisers, with all proceeds benefiting school athletic teams and student athletes at Oldham County High School.
Jennifer Larimore no longer has school-aged kids, but she has stayed on as treasurer for OCAB because she likes what the club is able to do as its own team. She said they’ve been fortunate enough to help with some amazing things for high school sports, and she will continue because she wants to support her community
“A lot of our friends have children who are still playing — it’s important to me,” Larimore said.
OCAB member Stacy Becker said the conversation about bringing Bingo back started a few years back, and that it was a regular fundraiser for youth sports back in the ‘80s. But the resurgence was held up when the global pandemic hit.
“Our sports teams have a lot of needs, whether it’s uniforms or equipment, and we needed to get creative on how to help them get those things,” Becker said. “So, we decided to kick this off again, start fresh in January and see how the county responds to it.”
So far, the response has been amazing, the women said. Bingo nights are held at the Arvin Education Center on the high school’s campus, complete with state-of-the-art technology like huge monitors on walls, with a large auditorium/conference room to fit crowds and bathrooms.
Concessions are run by various sports teams, so no outside food or drink is allowed. Teams take 100% of the profits from food they sell.
Anyone 18 or older is welcome to play, Larimore and Becker said, but they see all ages, from 18 to the late 70s. And they’ve got a great caller — Mike Shatzer, a parent of a student athlete.
“He makes it so fun — he actually announced all the baseball, volleyball games … now he’s doing Bingo,” Larimore said. She said the Arvin Center has also been amazing to the boosters, and has become a great partner.
As of now, they’re not sure exactly how much money they’ve raised. Becker said, “It’s new, so we’re focused on getting people there … There’s a lot more potential for fundraising, but we’re also dealing with up-front expenses, so we haven’t figured all that out yet, but we plan to improve.”
She said even if it’s a few-thousand a year that they are able to contribute, it still helps.
“Just looking at the boosters in general — this year and years past we’ve been able to help provide wrestling mats by paying a portion, all the way to furnishing the irrigation system for softball and baseball fields,” Becker said.
“And we were able to donate every year for three different teams to help them replace uniforms …” Larimore said, as part of a community program where different donors take turns funding. “As well as taking turns offering two $1,000 scholarships, one for a male and one for a female student athlete.”
The women say many don’t realize how expensive kids’ sports are for parents. Larimore points out seasonal fees, various equipment needed, travel expenses ….
“Our goal is to get to where folks don’t have to be the sole providers for that as parents — it can really get expensive,” she said. “And so parents don’t have to constantly fundraise to sustain keeping their child in sports.”
Becker said OCAB supports all athletics at the high school, “from tennis to golf to football — any sport that’s represented, we try to help support.” There are 23 different varsity sports offered.
Both women say they’ve seen first-hand the difference sports can make in a child’s life.
“As a mom with three children — two who played at the collegiate level — I’ve seen (playing sports) as a way to be a better human, the ability to be more well-rounded to deal with adversity, the importance of dealing with successes, failures …” Larimore said. Playing sports or being a part of a team encourages a level of skill-learning that is very beneficial in young adults’ professional lives, too, she said. And Larimore’s not wrong — studies link youth sports participation to a long list of benefits. Those include improved physical and mental health, of course, but also enhanced social skills, increased achievement in academics and a higher rate of graduation and college attendance.
“It’s just something that’s been a powerful tool for my family — as far as even networking.” Larimore said it’s amazing how sports connected her children to future employers, as well as exposure to different people from all over the state and country.
Becker said, “I’ve always told my kids — I believe if they’re in sports, athletes are held to a higher standard. There’s required school attendance, grade requirements, and just to be that better person. That’s why we support it.”
The next OCAB Bingo nights will be May 17 and 24; doors open at 6 p.m. with Bingo beginning at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in volunteering or sponsoring an event can email ocboosterbingo@gmail.com.
