What a week for Giving Hope Bingo! From October 28 through November 1, our 10th Anniversary Celebration filled the hall with bigger jackpots, special promotions, Halloween fun and plenty of community spirit. Local media helped spread the word, players showed up in force, and by the end of the week, we had plenty to celebrate. But the biggest wins weren’t found on a bingo card.
The Biggest Win Was Giving Back
Thursday evening was a highlight of our celebration. We proudly presented more than $40,000 in checks to six organizations supporting children and families throughout our community: Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana, the Sioux Falls Family YMCA, The Foster Network, A Hand 2 Hold, HorsePower and Special Olympics South Dakota’s Sioux Falls Bulldogs.
Players, volunteers and representatives from each organization gathered for our Taste of Eastern Europe Sweets & Treats event, featuring wine, desserts and great conversation. It was a wonderful evening to celebrate the organizations doing important work for local kids and a reminder of what our community can accomplish together.
Those check presentations also brought us to a milestone ten years in the making. More than $1 million given back to organizations supporting children and families across the Sioux Empire! One million dollars, raised one bingo card at a time, helping support programs, opportunities and services that make a difference for local kids.
The U Pick’em That Kept Everyone Coming Back
Of course, our players had plenty to celebrate, too! Throughout the week, we featured bigger jackpots, special payouts, giveaways, BOGO promotions and family-friendly bingo. Every session offered something different, giving regulars plenty of reasons to return and welcoming new faces to the fun.
One of the biggest highlights was the growing U Pick’em consolation. With each session, the prize climbed higher, and so did the excitement. By Sunday, the consolation had reached $1,500, paired with a $1,199 jackpot, making for an exciting finish to our anniversary week.
Saturday’s Halloween Spooktacular added even more fun with costumes, special games and plenty of Halloween spirit. We also celebrated with anniversary cake during our afternoon session before wrapping up five days of festivities on Sunday.
Thank You for Sharing Our Story
Our anniversary excitement reached well beyond the bingo hall! Thank you to Dakota News Now, KELOLAND News, Sioux Falls Live and Sioux Falls Simplified for helping share our milestone with the community.
The coverage gave us an opportunity to introduce more people to Giving Hope Bingo, highlight the nonprofit organizations we support and recognize everyone who has helped make ten years of giving possible.
As our president, Neil Hlebichuk, told KELOLAND, whether players win or lose, “they are still winners because they are helping kids in our community.” That’s what Giving Hope Bingo is all about, and reaching the million-dollar mark shows just how much those nights of bingo can add up over time.
This Milestone Belongs to You
Ten years ago, Giving Hope Bingo began a new chapter for a familiar Sioux Falls bingo hall, with a mission to bring people together for fun while raising money for local kids. A decade later, that mission has grown into a community of loyal players, friendships built around bingo tables and more than $1 million in support for organizations throughout our region.
To everyone who has played a game, volunteered, worked a session, supported an event, partnered with us or helped spread the word, THANK YOU! You’ve helped turn an ordinary night of entertainment into something that makes a difference far beyond our bingo hall. Whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or recently picked up your first dauber, you’re part of this story.
The anniversary festivities may be over, but our mission continues. Every card played helps keep that good work going, and every session gives us another opportunity to give back.
Here’s to ten incredible years, $1 million in giving and all the good still to come! We can’t wait to see you at your next session.
