Shouts of “Bingo!” rang out for the first time in three years Saturday at Animal Friends’ Bow Wow Bingo Soirée.
Organizers from the Ohio Township shelter capped attendance at 136 but still managed to raise over $51,000 with regular and “survivor” bingo, a No Fleas Scratch-Off Game, a 50-50 raffle and a silent auction.
Emcees Chris Winter and Chad Tyson of 102.5 WDVE called out the numbers as guests scanned bingo cards and discussed their pandemic puppies and other pets.
After a break for a vegetarian dinner of pasta and meatless sausage, the bingo amateurs (only two cards and three specials) got back to the business at hand – socializing and visiting with adoptable dogs, cats and rabbits, including Molly the husky, Tabbington the large (a nearly 17-pound cat) and Bob the Rottidoodle (Rottweiler and poodle mix).
The animals were the big winners Saturday. Animal Friends’ shelter and resource center is undergoing lots of changes, including more space for cats and kittens and a bigger, dedicated space for rabbits away from the other animals.
Bingo players included co-chairs Claire LoPresti and Beth Henry, president and CEO Kathleen Beaver, Sarah McKean and PJ Maloney, Dan Ringer, Marleen Ashton and Bob Fragasso with his daughters, Kathy Fertig and Christie Robinette, who have a dozen pets altogether.
First Published: April 13, 2022, 10:00 a.m.