Sandy Organowski selects a bingo ball Feb. 19, 2020 at the Southwick Senior Center as Anjum Alves looks on. (HOPE E. TREMBLAY/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Select Board last week approved researching and purchasing a large television and bingo software for the Senior Center from its Select Board Gift Account.
Council on Aging Director Cindy Sullivan met with Board members Feb. 18 to discuss bingo at the center.
Sullivan said the bingo program had stopped for over a year but started again three months ago.
“We extended our hours three days a week and wanted to offer another activity,” Sullivan said. “We started hosting bingo again and we get about a dozen players.”
The games are not high stakes – just five cents per card – and winners leave with a few dollars as well as a prize, which is usually a seasonal decoration.
Sullivan said the Council on Aging is registered with the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission to host games, which allows them to charge for games and give monetary awards.
The Council uses cards and volunteers crank the bingo ball container, hand select the balls and call out the letters and numbers. Sullivan said several players have asked to get modern equipment.
The Southwick Veterans of Foreign Wars, which closed its facility, donated its bingo machine to the Council on Aging. Sullivan said that unfortunately, it was not going to work for her program.
“It would require a lot of work,” she said. “It’s older than I anticipated.”
Sullivan told selectmen she priced 75-inch televisions, which she said cost $800 and up, as well as the bingo software, which is $100-$150.
Sullivan said she reached out to a local nonprofit organization regarding purchasing the TV, however, Board members said they wanted to help.
“I make a motion for the Chair to work with [Chief Administrative Officer] Mr. Stinehart to work out the finances and take it out of our gift account,” said Selectman Joseph Deedy.
“Thank you!” said Sullivan. “That’s a surprise.”
Sullivan said she will work with Chair Russ Fox and Stinehart on selecting a TV and software appropriate for use at the Senior Center.
