Roaring Run Lions Club will hold its 11th annual Vera Bradley and Longaberger Basket Bingo on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Reese fire hall.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with early bird games beginning at 6:45 p.m. and regular bingo at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 in advance or $18 at the door and include 20 regular games.
Linda Auerback, chair of the bingo committee, said theirs is special because they have a consolation prizes for all tied game winners.
“There’s a winner for all tied games, even if there are five,” she said. “All of those prizes are Longberger or Vera Bradley items that are filled.”
Auerback said to look for two early-bird games, plus special games, raffles and a 50/50 raffle, all at a small additional charge. Bring nonperishable food items for local Carroll County food pantries and receive a card for a free game as well.
“Our prizes are always wonderful,” Auerback said. “We have a Ravens basket filled by our district governor, Evan Gillette, with cool Ravens stuff inside but also all kinds of gift cards — Amazon, Belk, Subway, Boscov’s, Starbucks and another. Our baskets and bags are generously filled, a lot of them in memory of a loved one that has been lost. It’s a nice way to honor someone and they’re often filled with the things that they loved.”
Baskets have been filled by individuals, club members and local businesses.
“Lowe’s outdid their selves filling a basket this year, with $125 worth of merchandise,” Auerback said. “We also have a Home Depot basket for guys filled with tools and a Red White and Blue Basket filled with God Bless America stuff — like towels, a mat and everything you can imagine. The basket is blue and is so pretty. We have a beach-themed basket that I filled in memory of my friend. And our grand raffle is a hamper with a value of over $650.”
Look for door prizes, too, including scented candle jars, Bath and Body Works items, stationary, canvas bags with books, mugs with teas and more.
“We have 60 door prizes,” Auerback said. “And we will have plenty of good food for sale.”
Come hungry. They’ll have pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches, sides, hot dogs, nachos and cheese, fruit salad and lots of homemade baked goods.
For Auerback, one of the main reasons to attend is to support the community we live in.
“The monies raised [will] benefit substance abuse prevention awareness programs in our community, help support the Roaring Run Community Park youth activities and many other youth-involved community projects like the playground equipment in our park,” she said.
For more information or to purchase tickets call or text Auerback at 410-299-7591 or Laura Ganske at 443-277-0337.
The Reese fire hall is located at 1745 Baltimore Blvd. in Reese.
Peach Festival
St. John’s Lutheran Church will hold its annual Peach Festival on Saturday, Aug. 24 from 3:30 to 8 p.m. at the church, 827 at Leister’s Church Road in Westminster.
Church member Nancy Dean said this event has been held by the church annually for over 75 years.
“For many years it was called a picnic,” Dean said. “A fried chicken dinner was served and there would be a play to end the evening. To be successful, the festival requires the help of 50-60 people. St. John’s is blessed by many people who are willing to share their time, talents and financial resources for each festival.”
Church members, friends and neighbors are invited to bring their lawn chairs to enjoy music and fellowship. The Never Too Late Band will play from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., followed by the Alesia band from 6 to 8 p.m.
Look for games for children and plenty of good food. Dean said the menu will include turkey corn soup, turkey salad sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue, pulled pork barbecue, peaches and ice cream, peach cobbler and a variety of other baked goods.
This is a rain or shine event. For more information, call the church at 410-848-2140.
All Day Bingo
Bingo enthusiasts can enjoy an All Day Cash Bingo on Saturday, Aug. 24, beginning at 9:30 a.m. inside the Gamber fire hall, with proceeds going to the South Carroll Lions and Lioness Club.
Continental breakfast, lunch and 40 games of bingo are included in the ticket price of $45 per person. Doors open for breakfast at 9:30 a.m., and bingo will begin at 10 a.m.
According to bingo chairman Terri Parkent, the bingo will be split into two sessions, one before lunch with 20 games and one after lunch with 20 games.
“We also have four specials per session and a Junior Jackpot and a Senior Jackpot per session,” Parkent said.
Tickets to these special games are sold at an additional charge.
Sue Miller, bingo committee member, said, “Look for Danish pastry and croissants for breakfast, plus some sort of fruit, coffee, tea and water. Lunch is one sandwich with chicken salad and one ham and cheese sandwich on a roll, plus chips, coleslaw and a cupcake. Plus, we have free drinks available all day — Coke, Sprite, coffee, water and hot tea.”
Parkent and Miller encourage folks to give their bingo a try.
“It’s a fun event,” Parkent said. “I know it is a Saturday and it is summertime, but you will like this bingo. We have people who come back every year because it is so much fun.”
This is the first time the Lions Club has held an all-cash bingo.
“We decided to go to all cash bingo after Longaberger [basket company] went out of business,” Parkent said. “Last year we did a survey of our bingo guests and found they preferred an all cash bingo.”
Regular games pay out $50, with special games paying $75. The jackpots have $100 prizes. Extra bingo packs, junior and senior jackpots, raffles and King Tutts are purchased for an extra charge.
“We have at least 60 or more door prizes that we will be giving out, too, because we like it when everybody leaves with something,” said Parkent.
Look for two raffles for filled Longaberger baskets, a raffle for a gift card tree valued at $500, and a 50/50 raffle. Bring a nonperishable item for the food bank and you’ll also get a ticket to an additional game.
Paid advanced reservations are required, but a minimum $20 deposit is required to hold your reservation, with the balance due at the door. Tickets will also be sold at the door, but reservations are strongly encouraged to help the club anticipate food needs.
For more information or to hold your seat, call Terri at 443-280-0203 or Sue at 410-795-0920.
“This is a community service event for us,” Parkent said. “It provides funds for service projects all year long. The money we earn goes right back into the community.”
The Gamber fire hall is located at 3838 Niner Road.
Lois Szymanski covers Finksburg, Gamber, Pleasant Valley, Reese, Sandymount, Silver Run, Smallwood, Union Mills and Westminster. Reach her at 443-293-7811 or LoisSzymanski@hotmail.com
