Bingo Bonanza in Talpa
Two Rufinas — Rufina Gutierrez and Rufina Martinez — provided colorful commentary for a lively day of bingo at the Talpa Community Center on Sunday (Nov. 6).
The event was part of their fundraiser to attend the Summer Games of the New Mexico Senior Olympics, and Martinez and Gutierrez had to work as a pair: Martinez pulled out the bingo balls and announced their alphanumeric combo, while Gutierrez echoed that call in the large reception hall filled with 30 or more players vying to win prizes in exchange for their $20 pack of bingo calling cards.
The event started at noon to introduce new members of the Senior Team. In 5 hours, players went through nine different formats of bingo games, such as the Cruz Alta pattern, resembling a crucifix, and the Kite pattern, which required players to fill out the upper-left corner of their cards, the middle free space and two squares in the lower right corner.
Sitting next to a stained glass window, Tim Romero eventually won an Anchor Hocking Baking Dish along with a matching tupperware set. Towards the end of the bingo games, Martinez called out ticket numbers for the raffle.
The declaration of one of the prizes, a “one night stand” (intended to have been announced as a one night stay) at the Casa Benavides Inn, was met with scattered chuckles from the crowd.
Roughly $1,200 was raised from bingo purchases, raffle tickets and Frito pie sales. There will be another bingo fundraiser in the spring before the 2023 State Summer Games taking place, once again, in Las Cruces.