While bingo might be scoffed at by outsiders as a non-momentous, simplistic game usually enjoyed by seniors, Ridgewood High School “Bingo Nights” show that there is more to it than that.
Saturday night marked the opening night in a monthly series of bingo games held at Ridgewood High School in Norridge.
At 4:30 p.m., a half-hour before a pair of side doors on the east end of the high school’s building opened to the hundreds of people of all ages who ended up showing up that night, a line of eager players had already started to form outside.
Decked out in a birthday crown and surrounded by a group of friends who adorned their table with pink decor and snacks in honor of the occasion, Lety Sciortino said getting there early was the only way to guarantee a spot.
“You have to come early if you want a table — it’s the only way because it fills up really fast,” Sciortino said.
Although the cash prizes entice all the players, bingo is much more than a game for Sciortino and her group of six or seven girlfriends. The women have been using bingo night at the high school as an excuse for a much-anticipated monthly “girls night out” for the past eight years since the RHS Parents’ Club first began hosting regular games.
With cupcakes, cookies, crackers and an array of other snacks lined up along the table, the setup resembled a casual potluck dinner, where everyone brings something to share. The ladies, who have been friends for more than 20 years, arrive for bingo night early every month to claim tables to set up for girls night. Each month is a different theme, explained Janet Lombardo, who said they deck the table out for Halloween, Christmas, birthdays and in springtime when they all don Easter bonnets.
“It’s good, wholesome fun,” said Irene Zaporowicz-Short of Norridge. “Bingo is secondary — it’s more about going out with the girls.”
At a table a few feet away, some players were taking bingo night a little more seriously. Surrounded by picture frames holding photos of her beloved Elvis, 88-year-old Jo Jo Wirtz sifted through her cards to count how many times her lucky number — eight — appeared on her game tables.
The 30-year bingo veteran is convinced that the more often her lucky numbers show up on her cards, the more likely she is to win big. And having Elvis there by her side never hurts her odds either, she said.
“He’s my lucky charm when I play,” Wirtz said, showing off a mini Elvis-themed guitar she had set up among a collection of other good luck charms including rubber animal figurines.
Like Wirtz, Jayne Kornafel of Chicago had her own collection of items lined up to bring her good luck, including a voodoo doll and a small alligator toy she picked up on a trip to New Orleans.
Bingo packs plenty of excitement as players wait anxiously for that final number needed to complete their cards to be called, and the cash prizes help build the competitive feeling of the game. Players pay $20 for 15 games that come with two chances to win $500 in the “cover-all” games. The regular games have prizes of $75-$100.
Similar to a booster club, the RHS Parents’ Club donates the money raised through bingo nights to help fund sports programs and a post-prom event for Ridgewood students. The rest of the money raised is put into scholarships for graduating seniors, according to Tom Lorscheider, Parents’ Club president.
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“We’ve raised around $35,000 since we started,” Lorscheider said. “It’s popular with the older crowd, but we get all sorts of people because it’s a good way to get out and have fun and see your neighbors.”
Lorscheider’s friend Burny Bernardi sat behind him, recording the numbers on the bingo balls Lorscheider pulled from the cage. Although Bernardi’s last child graduated high school last year, he decided to stay involved in the parents’ group this year because of the social aspect.
“There’s a decent group of people who do it,” Bernardi said. “We’re all friends here, and (bingo night) helps people get to know each other better.”
Bingo nights are scheduled for Oct. 15, Nov. 12, Dec. 10, Jan. 21, Feb. 18, March 18, and May 13. Doors open at 5 p.m., and games start at 6 p.m.
Players who bring two food items or toiletries to donate to The Salvation Army’s food pantry on Nov. 12 and Feb. 18 will receive a free bingo sheet for a $500 prize game.
Natalie Hayes is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.