By Kirsten Kirtley
Bingo!
The Cherokee Strip Museum hosts bingo night the third Thursday of each month.
Participants are invited to join in the fun Thursday at 901 14th St. The museum annex doors open at 6 p.m. so participants have time to pick up their bingo cards, partake of refreshments and find a place to sit before beginning the game.
A minimum of 20 games of bingo are played. At the end of each game, the winner receives a cash prize.
The cash prize is 50% of the profit made from the game. The other 50% of the profit made from the game goes partly to the museum and partly to the American Legion.
The museum is the main sponsor of bingo night, meaning it does all the prep work and purchases all of the bingo supplies.
American Legion members help by volunteering on bingo night, gathering cards and setting up bingo equipment.
The portion of the profits that goes to the American Legion is used to fund a future scholarship.
Elaine Graybill, business manager of the Cherokee Strip Museum, said she thinks the most enjoyable part of bingo night is socializing with others.
She said that there is usually a new participant each time. She also said the museum wants to get more people involved.
Don Lynch, chairman of the museum board, said there are people in attendance who play bingo all over the country as well.
Anyone 18 and older is welcome to play.
Not just any establishment can host bingo. In order for a place to have permission to host bingo, it must apply to get a license. There are certain requirements that must be met in order to receive a license.
One of the requirements is that the establishment applying must be a non-profit. The establishment has to prove that it is a non-profit with certain documents.
The museum is independently owned, meaning it is not owned by any other museum, and it is not state-owned.
The people running it are in charge of doing their own fundraising in order to keep the museum running.
Graybill said they try to host events that will entertain people and make money for the museum.
HAUNTED HISTORY
At the end of the month, the museum is hosting another fundraiser called “Our Haunted History.”
During this event, employees will take people through the museum on a guided tour, where storytellers will entertain people with spooky history lessons.
Admission to the event costs $10 per person. For more information about bingo night, visit the Cherokee Strip Museum Facebook page or call the museum at 580-327-2030.