A pair of fundraisers for the Highland County Senior Citizens Center — Ham Bingo the Car Edition and Build A Buddy — are upcoming.
Ham Bingo will be held Saturday, March 26 at the Southern State Community College parking lot in Hillsboro where at least 80 hams and several other prizes will be up for grabs.
Parking starts at 11 a.m. and the games will be played from noon to around 2:30 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, watch the senior center’s Facebook page.
There are three ways to purchase the $20 tickets. Advance tickets can be purchased at the center, 185 Muntz St., Hillsboro, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday; or they can be purchased online at www.highlandseniors.com. They can also be purchased at SSCC the day of event.
Anyone purchasing an advance ticket will receive a scratch-off ticket for a chance to win the big prize of a “character Easter basket”, or other prizes including hams, a regular Easter basket or a roll of paper towels.
“We will have additional scratch-off tickets that can be purchased for $5 at the event. You can win up to three prizes,” said Mechell Frost, executive director of the center.
The $20 fee includes four bingo cards, all the needed needed bingo supplies, and a free raffle ticket.
Anyone entering the playing area must purchase a ticket, and you must be 18 years of age or older to play.
Players will need an FM radio, and the station to tune to will be announced at the event.
“If you don’t want to stay in your car you can bring a chair and sit outside,” Frost said. “And there is no limit to how many times they can win. If they bingo six times, they will win six hams.”
A restroom will be available.
The Build A Buddy event will be different from past similar events held at the senior center. This time, “buddy” kits will be ordered online at www.highlandseniors.com, picked up at the senior center, then taken elsewhere to create.
There are a variety of buddy types, but there are limited numbers of each type and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The buddy packets are $20 each and come wrapped in plastic with a buddy, stuffing, a birth certificate from the Highland County Health Department, a heart certified by the Hillsboro Veterinary Hospital, crayons and stickers to decorate the box, and a collar and tag that can be used to personalize the buddy.
“You’re not going to get the animal already stuffed. You will stuff it yourself,” Frost said. “There is no sewing involved, the buddies make a perfect Easter gift, and all the proceeds benefit the senior center.”
There are three dates the buddies can be picked up: Monday, April 11 during morning and afternoon hours; Wednesday, April 13 during afternoon hours only; and Friday, April 15 during morning and afternoon hours.
“You can watch a video on the senior center’s Facebook page of the Easter Bunny and friends putting together a buddy,” Frost said. “It’s kind of like an instructional video.”
For more information, call the senior center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday or Friday.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
