The Rotary Club of Red Deer’s Black Tie Bingo is still going strong after 27 years.
About 420 people attended the club’s largest fundraising event of the year Wednesday night at the Cambridge Hotel and Conference Centre.
“It was a fantastic evening,” said event chairman Dan Hachey.
“We were thrilled to see many young couples or individuals learning about Black Tie Bingo and having a great time participating.
“It’s fun playing bingo and everyone in the room has an equal chance of taking home a prize worth anywhere from $1 to $2,000. It creates a lot of fun in the room, and on top of that, we might have the largest silent auction display from most events in town.”
The event typically raises between $80,000 and $100,000. Hachey said he expects to see a similar dollar amount collected this year.
“We know many are coming back next year. We need that for fundraising, so we can give back to the community. The community showed up with open hearts,” Hachey said.
Every year, the Rotary Club raises money for a different organization. This year’s recipient is the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre.
“They did a presentation that really pulled on everyone’s heart strings. They’re a great organization and deal with child abuse. We’re thrilled they became our charity of choice this year.
“They do a very good job and they’re a serious, legitimate charity that is taking care of and helping young children and their families,” said Hachey.
The club chooses different local charities to “spread the funds around,” Hachey added.
“Our club, in the last four or five years, has really focused on mental health issues and organizations that deal with that. For many, it’s not something they speak about.”
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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