It’s eyes down each and every Tuesday at Juniper St David’s Retirement Village in Mount Lawley for a dedicated group of bingo fans.
“We’re like the follies (theatrical revue) – we never close,” says the group’s bingo caller and treasurer Brenda Stubbs with a laugh.
With perfect diction, Brenda has called 11 bingo games each week for the past three years with support from the always dynamic Joyce Ashworth who organises the games, checks winning cards and prepares afternoon tea.
Not one for calling out those bingo nicknames like “Legs 11” or “All the fives”, Brenda prefers to keep it simple with the numbers so she can keep the games flowing.
“It’s not just to play full house games; but having different combinations to keep it fun and to keep the mind going,” Brenda said.
Those different game combinations include picture frame rounds where players mark the spaces around the edge of the bingo card to win or have the right selection of numbers to create patterns such as a letter Z or a diamond.
A steady group of 14 players keep things fun at the two-hour weekly sessions as they vie for $5 winnings on full house games and $10 for the jackpot rounds. There’s always lots of applause and congratulatory support from players when a lucky winner declares the all-important “Bingo” during rounds.
Now in her 80s, Brenda said “the company” the bingo sessions provided to residents at St David’s Retirement Living Village, as well as a few players from the nearby Juniper residential home, were a big reason why she enjoyed the pastime so much.
“Everyone likes a bit of competition, and it’s nice to have a win, even if it’s $5,” Brenda said.
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