We often hear that words have power, and that may be no truer than when the word “Bingo!” is yelled out in a crowd.
That single word can cause an immediate collective response of sighs and grumbles from a few hundred people. And you might have heard that sound more frequently over the last few years. While the game of Bingo as we know it has been around for about 100 years, local variations of it have sprung up recently as popular nonprofit fundraisers. Event halls and social clubs have their weekly calendars filled with Bingo nights to support various organizations and charities.
And Bingo isn’t the only fundraiser that has gained traction over the past few years. Golf scrambles, casino nights, dance competitions, and seasonal decorating contests have all jumped in popularity as nonprofits raise support for their annual budgets or new campaigns. And while it might seem strange that an organization would put so much effort into a seemingly unrelated fundraiser, I have found that the underlying results of these events tell us a lot about the heart of nonprofit fundraising.
First, these events are fun for both men and women. While of course they are meant to raise money, the events are also centered around entertainment. Adults love trying to win a designer purse or a high-end bottle of liquor from a simple game of Bingo. Or spending a day on the golf course with buddies, vying to win a Rolex watch from a hole-in-one. Or gambling away fake money at a casino night to earn raffle tickets for prize baskets. Or sitting in an audience, clapping for a local businessman who has learned how to dance the tango. The list goes on and on.
And similarly, giving financially to a nonprofit is fun. It is fun to see how your money can make a difference. To see the resources purchased, the programs added, the renovations made to a building. It is exciting to know that an organization is moving forward in its mission because donors like you are giving support. Simply put, giving is fun.
Second, these outside fundraising events get people to meet and mingle. It is no secret that some attendees are attracted by the sheer fun of the event rather than the organization behind it. But that just means that the fundraiser attracts a variety of people that might not meet otherwise. Bingo nights attract enthusiasts who search for new games each week, but also attendees who have never played in a public setting before. Golf scrambles host players of all ages at a variety of skill levels.
And this is true for donors, too. At the library, we have supporters who give because the library saved them as children when they needed to escape their home lives, others who want to show appreciation for the services their children received, and some who simply wish they would have used the library more. Personal experiences — or the lack thereof — vary among donors of all nonprofits, and it is this variety of people that makes the organization’s vision that much more meaningful.
And finally, an entertaining fundraiser gets the organization outside its building walls. It gets a group of people talking about how the community can help vulnerable citizens or necessary programs. It normalizes sharing about impactful philanthropy. And if a casino night can get fun-seeking adults talking about children in foster care, or victims of domestic violence, or children struggling with literacy, then there is hope that those same groups can be discussed at home or at work or with friends. It gets the organization outside of the organization, so to speak. It keeps issues alive in outside settings, which is how organizations continue to be supported.
With the growth of outside entertainment fundraisers, it’s easy to criticize their popularity as having nothing to do with a nonprofit and therefore a frivolous activity that will never last. But I surmise that these events make giving to an organization fun and keep donors engaged not only with each other but also in multiple settings. Don’t discredit these creative fundraisers, because they’re actually keeping our nonprofits moving forward.
And if reading about these entertaining fundraisers has caused you to want to join in the fun, may I suggest attending Greenwood Public Library’s Purse Bingo event? It is September 13 at the Greenwood Moose Lodge and all information can be found at greenwoodlibrary.us/pursebingo. The proceeds go to the Greenwood Library Foundation to fund all library programming. And I can guarantee that you’ll have some fun, meet other library lovers, and have a chance to glimpse the value of GPL outside the library walls.
Julia Reynolds is the Community Relations Specialist at Greenwood Public Library. GPL staff members share in writing this twice-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
