Bingo is a regular Friday night event at the Polson Senior Citizens Center. About 30 people were seated in the main room of the center recently as Randy Burley called out the letter and number combo, and players quickly scanned the rows on their cards. Alice Johnson was selling “flimsies” and “hard” cards to players.

The fun begins at 6:30 p.m., and bingo players gather a little earlier to buy their cards and a snack. The center offers hot dogs, cookies and sometimes cake, popcorn and soda. Everything is a dollar, Burley said.

Johnson has managed the bingo games for more than 13 years, and Burley joined the team when he moved to the area nine years ago. Cris Alder helps out a lot too, Burley explained, by calling back a bingo and making sure the numbers are all correct.

They’re all dedicated volunteers, making sure everyone has fun. Some of the bingo proceeds went into a large new machine that lights up as the numbers are called.

Bingo player Julie Duncan attends the Friday games, where she enjoys getting together with her friends to relax and talk.

“It’s a laid-back atmosphere,” she said.

As well as being chill, bingo is an affordable night out, with a chance of winning some cash. Four “hard” cards sell for $5. Burley said he calls three “hard” card games, then three “flimsies” at $1 per card until nine games of each are played.

There also is a $100 blackout game near the end of the evening. But the last game is winner-take-all, which sometimes amounts to $60, Burley said.

Check the senior center news in the Lake County Leader or call 406 883-4735 for more information. The center is located at 504 3rd Ave. E in Polson.

    Friday night bingo at the Polson Senior Citizens Center is a place to meet friends and relax. (Berl Tiskus/Leader)