Legendary Fundraiser: Chapter Plays Bingo to Save the Planet

From left: Bridgette of Madison County, Bingo Boy, Ron Silverman and Elizabeth Saas. photo by Maddalena Serra

Ron Silverman and John
LaJeuness of Chapter
Fundraising both played
admirably
photo by Elizibeth Saas

The Sierra Club Angeles Chapter was the big winner at the Legendary Bingo fundraiser, sashaying off with several thousand dollars.

Who can resist positive energy, group participation, celebrity callers, and a fun-loving, very funny drag queen, Bridgette of Madison County, to keep the event moving forward at a fast clip? says Ron Silverman, Sierra Club Angeles Senior Chapter Director.

The popular event at Hamburger Mary's in West Hollywood allows a charity or organization to co-host the evening, and then donates 75% of the night's proceeds to them. The drag queen-hosted bingo, audience prizes and an irreverent sense of humor draws everyone and their mother,and this mixture appealed to The Sierra Club. The diversity of the attendees was a big plus, says Silverman. I was able to talk to a progressive captive audience about who we are, all the great work we do and how great it would be for everyone there to join the club. Besides, it's practically impossible not to have a good time while participating in Legendary Bingo.

Silverman says that over a hundred people attended, and between the delicious food and good times, he and a dozen or so Angeles Chapter members were able to help spread The Sierra Club's mission--an achievement just as valuable as the financial support. The evening's triumph has inspired him to consider repeating its success again.

I'm very glad that we were able to participate in Legendary Bingo. My thanks to Jeffery Bowman aka Bingo Boy and Hamburger Mary's in West Hollywood. I'd like to give a shout out to those members of the club who showed up to support the Chapter and play bingo as well as the Chapter Staff who all showed up and made sure that everything ran smoothly from beginning to end, he says. As we learned at Legendary Bingo: how do we play bingo? Loudly!

Jonathan Riggs is a writer living in Los Angeles.