Games have granted about $500K,000 since 2010

Cricket Rubino verifies a winning bingo card. Photo by Kaylee Arca

By Kaylee Arca

Cricket Rubino is Morgan Hill’s Queen of Bingo. With the help of a team of volunteers, she hosts weekly games at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center to fundraise for the Senior Center.

Photo by Kaylee Arca

Every Tuesday night, about 80 people line the long tables to play the game of luck and be with friends. Since 2010, the money raised by the popular bingo tournaments has granted about $500,000 to the Senior Center and the Mt. Madonna YMCA nutrition program.

Rubino and others started the bingo program in 2008. The economy had recently crashed and the city of Morgan Hill was forced to make major budget cuts, including closing the Senior Center. In response, the angry senior members staged a sit-in.

“They had signs, banners, and all kinds of stuff,” Rubino said. “They were all out in front of the Senior Center raising a ruckus about the city cutting funds.”

During this time, Rubino was on the Senior Center Advisory Committee trying to think of ways to fundraise to keep the center’s programs going.

“At that point, we decided we needed to do something to secure those funds so the Senior Center could stay alive and healthy and prosperous,” she said.

After hosting a successful bingo dinner dance, Rubino realized the game’s popularity. The Bingo Queen and her husband, Mike, had already created the successful Live Oak High School Emerald Regime Bingo to support the music program. She hoped to continue that success for the Senior Center.

Photo by Kaylee Arca

Now almost 15 years after the first games in 2010, the Friends of the Morgan Hill Senior Center’s bingo games draw a large crowd with many regular attendees. Adults age 18 and older are welcomed to play.

Early Bird games start at 5:45 p.m. Regular games start at 6:30 p.m. and usually run until about 9:30 p.m. Players can choose from three game packages at $50, $75, and $100. There are also plenty of opportunities to add on more games and concessions available for purchase.

The bingo monetary prizes are $350 for a Regular Game and $750 for a Strip Game. The ongoing Bingo Shark prize is currently at $2,000

The Friends of the Morgan Hill Senior Center donates $50,000 a year thanks to bingo. Of that, the Senior Center receives $30,000 and the YMCA nutrition program $20,000.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 forced the weekly games to stop for two years. Now, bingo is building back up to its pre-pandemic attendance numbers.

“We would love to have more people come and join us,” Rubino said.

Bingo would not be possible without the help of about 40 dedicated volunteers. Rubino manages a rotating schedule in which 10 volunteers run the games. This includes cashiers, concessions, and a caller.

Many of the bingo attendees have been regulars for many years. These experienced players will track packs of multiple pages filled with six bingo cards per page in hopes of a lucky win.

Photo by Kaylee Arca

Angie Trujillo, a bingo regular of 10 years, plays four packs Tuesday nights. She loves the atmosphere and bingo community that Rubino nurtures.

“I’ve gotten to know Cricket over the years, she’s precious,” Trujillo said.

Trujillo’s daughter, Bica Ohler, sat across the table. The pair have played the games together for the past five years.

They know many of the other players who lined the long tables. Most of the players are “creatures of habit” and have unassigned “assigned” seating.

Ohler is actively encouraging her son and his friends who are turning 18 years old to join in the bingo fun.

On special occasions, Rubino and Mike will cook free dinner for the attendees. Around the Fourth of July, the couple cooked hamburgers.

Mary Ann Azevedo, 66, plays five packs and has played bingo since the age of 18. She used to drive her mother and grandmother to bingo games.

“I like the time coming to play with friends, family, and supporting the seniors,” she said. “Cricket and her husband are very thoughtful . . . and it’s all out of their hearts.”

Kaylee Arca is a Morgan Hill-based freelance reporter.