By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
The Youth Building at the Crawford County Fairgrounds took on the aura of a Bingo hall Saturday night for the United Way of Crawford County’s Annual Designer Bingo event.
Doors opened for the sold out event at 6 p.m. with the purse of winning a bingo game being an actual purse. Tickets were $30 with all proceeds from the event going towards numerous county-wide programs.
The event was organized by United Way of Crawford County board member Pennie Fox. Fox noted how she put together the event.
“We had been without a director, and so I helped the past two years. So I just kind of took it and had to get it started because time was ticking,” Fox explained.
Fox reported that last year’s Designer Bingo raised over $10,000 for the program which went right back into the community.
“Last year we raised almost $15,000 and all of it went back into Crawford County,” Fox said.
New United Way of Crawford County Director Josh Noblet was pleased with the turnout.
“We had an awesome turnout, we sold out our tickets, I think it was a week and four days they sold out. We have a great turnout, people are excited to be here, and it is supposed to be a lot of fun. I can’t wait to experience it,” Noblet said.
Friends Whitney Long, Holli Pfeifer, and Christina Smith attended the event together.
“Actually Whitney was the one who invited us this year,” Long said. “We had heard about it, it sounded like a really great time for a really good cause. Anyway that you can support the Crawford County community is a good thing.”
“One of my friends on Facebook posted it and I thought it sounded like a good time, let’s go do it,” Pfeifer said.
“I came out for a good time with friends, and to hopefully win a purse,” Smith added.
Master of Ceremonies and Bingo caller Dave Kuns kicked off the games at 7 p.m. and a short while later the first bingo was called by Laura Peoples. Peoples explained what it had felt like being the first Bingo of the night.
“Awesome, I have never won before, three years coming, and first time winning,” Peoples said.
Bingo wasn’t the only game as door prizes donated by local businesses were up for grabs as well as a 50/50.
Unbeknownst to the attendees, a second 50/50 drawing was up for grabs. However the second 50/50 drawing was rigged for good reason. After the number for the second 50/50 drawing was called, Bethanie Schaffner made her way to the stage to receive her prize. The prize came out from behind the curtain in the form of her boyfriend of three-and-one-half years, Brad Bowron, who dropped to one knee and proposed to her. Schaffner said yes, and the couple embraced before the bingo games continued.
Bowron explained how his proposal came about.
“I didn’t even have a ticket to this until yesterday, and I thought it would be a great idea since some of the family would be here, and she wasn’t expecting it. So I thought it was a good opportunity,” Bowron said.
Schaffner added that she didn’t expect the proposal to happen at the event.
“I was a little suspicious when he was here, because I didn’t think he was coming, but other than that I didn’t really think it would be tonight,” Schaffner said.