Norman Hall works with Niky Whitman. Helen Gossard assisted the girls table and George Hauser kept tabs on the boys.
The boys quickly find the number that was called by Boyd Gossard. Seniors Gary Ikerd and Monty Montgomery assisted where needed.
Sara Stevenson is all smiles after picking out her agate following a win. All the polished agates were donated by Monty Montgomery.
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Senior Center was buzzing with Bingo excitement as 16 sixth through eighth grade youth were taught how to play Bingo for the first time. Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputy Mike Sunderland organized the event with the local seniors as another idea to have something for the local youth to do.
"A lot of the kids had never played Bingo before. They just think it is a song," said Sunderland. "I just thought it would be cool to get the youth and the seniors interacting together. I think it's good for both of them."
Sunderland approached the seniors about a month ago asking them if they would be interested in hosting a Bingo night for junior high-aged youth. He said he expected 20 youth.
"We thought it was a good idea so we decided why not," said Seeley Lake Senior Center (Sela Senci) President Boyd Gossard. "I think it went well. Most of the kids seemed to have a good time."
The youth enjoyed pizza provided by Sunderland and cookies, cupcakes and drinks provided by Senior Center Head Cook Hope Lewis and other Sela Senci members.
The seniors provided the facilities and did the calling. Norman Hall, Helen Gossard, Gary Ikerd, George Hauser and Karen and Monty Montgomery helped the students learn how to play.
They played 12 rounds of Bingo where the winners got to pick a polished agate donated by Monty Montgomery and a chocolate bar donated by Neil Ruttenbur.
Sunderland said the youth acted like it was "pretty lame" when they first started.
"Once they got towards the end of the first game when they only needed one or two numbers to hit, then it got crazy," said Sunderland. "Then it became competitive the girls against the boys. It went back and forth in the beginning and then the girls slaughtered them."
Sunderland said he was really proud of the kids that won multiple times and shared their prizes with those who never won.
"Pretty much everyone left there last night with something," said Sunderland. "That was all on their own doing. No one suggested [they share prizes]."
Sunderland and Gossard agreed that they would like to see this happen again. Sunderland anticipates it won't be until school starts again in the fall.
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