By the numbers

PALMER — Palmerites are smashing stereotypes that the most entertaining things happening at senior centers are all-you-can-eat lime Jell-O and knitting classes.

Thursday is bingo day at the Palmer Senior Center, and Thursday’s weekly afternoon of game play is lively. Those who regularly play from 1 to 3 p.m. have their spots picked out and lay out their bingo cards just the right way. Some even bring a little help, like one player who keeps a lucky troll doll close at hand while expertly ticking off the called numbers.

Senior center bingo is hardly a new concept, but it’s a successful program that more than pays for itself and is a valuable source of entertainment for Palmer’s senior population, said Rachel Greenberg, office manager for the Palmer Senior Center.

“It’s very important for getting our seniors out and about,” she said. “It gives them a reason to get up in the morning, something to do and get them out of the house.”

That’s the draw for Shelby Jones, who quickly and expertly set up more than a dozen bingo cards prior to the first call on Thursday. Jones has been coming to the Palmer senior bingo “for a lot of years” and said that while she enjoys the game, it’s the friendships she’s made that keep her coming back.

“It gives me something to do with friends,” she said. “We just enjoy being together and we figure it’s a good donation to the place, because I don’t win that much.”

Jones said she spends about $3.50 a game and keeps track of between 14 and 16 cards a session.

Although it’s not expensive to play bingo, the operation is all volunteer run and all proceeds go toward the center’s effort to build a new building, said Jean Chapman, a Palmer Senior Center board member who oversees the bingo. The center needs an estimated $12 million for the building and is about halfway to that goal.

Besides, bingo is great entertainment, she said, adding that Thursday’s group seemed rather rambunctious.

“Boy, it’s just very noisy today,” Chapman said. “I think it’s spring fever. … We do a lot of (social activities) here. We have a really friendly, kindly center. It’s really nice. I’ve been a member here for awhile and there’s nothing to compare to this center.”

Although many of the players are regulars and seniors, bingo is open to all, Chapman said. In fact, full-time caregivers often bring their patients for a few rounds of bingo.

As volunteer caller Edythe Ekstedt announces the numbers, she proclaims she’s ready “to take your money, honey.”

While the room is noisy prior to the start of play, Ekstedt calls the first number and the decibel level drops to nearly zero. It’s time to play. Seven minutes later, the first “bingo!” of the afternoon is called.

It may be a social event, but the players still want to win, Greenberg said.

“Oh yeah, they can win some money,” she said. “Last week, we had a winner for our big pot, which was about $300 or so.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.