Bingo fundraiser to support new shooting range

The earliest forms of Bingo date back to 1530 in Italy which was played with beans and called Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia.

The game quickly spread through Europe, gaining popularity and eventually came to North America where it was played at carnivals. The game was further popularized by Edwin S. Lowe, a toy merchandiser, who saw people eagerly playing the game called "Beano." 

The origin of the name Bingo is unknown but may date to the mid-1920s where there are claims that one of Lowe's friends was so excited to have won that she yelled out "Bingo" instead of "Beano." 

Approximately $90 million is spent on Bingo each week. Hold that thought as this ties together.

The Mineral County Shooting Sports Association went on their own after years of hosting the Friends of the NRA (National Rifle Association) Banquet because they were raising more money for the NRA than they were for the local kids which was a big reason they existed. 

“We first held our dinners at the St. Regis Community Center, like we did with the NRA, and about five years later we purchased the land we now have from the Axmen in Missoula and then built our facility at 475 Cougar Creek Way,” shared Shawn Heyer who is the MCSSA VP. 

“There are about 236 acres that came with the building shell and our first matching grant was to put in the well and septic system. We used the funds for our dinners to pay for the land payment and start to finish the inside of the building. After a couple of more dinners, we were then able to get started on the 1,000-yard range. With a lot of good volunteers and donations, and another matching grant from Fish, Wildlife and Parks, we’ve finished up most of the dirt work on that upper shelf of the property.” 

Heyer’s wife, Anndenia, added, “ MCSSA also had Meadow Creek Contracting put in the Cowboy Action Shooting bays with the first demonstration last October. Trap, skeet and archery ranges are on the radar as the organization realizes the wants and needs of the people.”

Here’s the tie in with Bingo: MCSSA is holding a serious first-class Bingo game to raise funds to continue to build the range that more and more people are discovering. It’s become a facility for organizations to rent between Superior and Alberton and with the continued improvements, it is becoming a community center for training, socializing and 4-H Youth Shooting Sports. 

“We want to be able to have more events and ways for people to use the building along with bringing in some more money to continue to work on the things we want to offer,” Anndenia explained as being the March Madness Bingo contact person. 

If this inaugural event works well for everyone involved, they hope to do this twice a year along with their annual MCSSA Banquet which is Saturday, Oct. 4 this year.

The nuts and bolts of March Madness Bingo on Saturday, March 8 are that there will be 10 rounds giving a person 10 chances to win. The bingo card prices are as follows: One bingo card per game for $50. Three bingo cards per game for $100. Nine bingo cards per game for $300. 

This boils down that a person can purchase one card that is good for all of the games for $50. They can purchase three cards that are good for all games for $100 or nine cards for all games for $300.

 Prizes include a barbecue basket, a 2-Fun-Gun-Set, Kimber Micro 9mm, camp chairs, camping tent, Big Drink Bottle ‘Mystery Prize,’ Winchester Wild Cat semi-auto .22 rifle, a Rock Island 1911 .45 auto and others. 

Pizza, cookies and soft drinks are available as the doors open at 5 p.m. with Round 1 starting at 6 p.m.. A few sponsorships still exist as well as preregistration at mineralshootingsports.com. 

The money raised is earmarked for completion of the restrooms and a canopy on the shooting area of the 1,000-yard range.