Road Bingo

SOUTH SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – It just wasn’t in the cards for the Florin Road Bingo hall as the pandemic has forced it to shut down for good.

Sacramento Consolidated Charities, the nonprofit that runs it the place, just couldn’t afford the thousands in overhead each month.

Road

Time to Play Road tripping is fun on its own, but even more fun when you add a little friendly competition. Take a drive on Minnesota's scenic highways and byways, soak in the fall colors and discover something new along the way with ROAD-TRIP’N BINGO. Get Your Bingo Cards. Road Trip Bingo is a super fun and easy way to keep kids occupied during long car rides. All you need is these printable cards and a crayon, pencil, or marker to enjoy a peaceful car ride while the kids hunt for signs and vehicles. How to Play Road Trip Bingo Road Trip Bingo is a lot like traditional bingo. Road Trip Bingo is perfect for your next road trip or your air travel to keep kids entertained and busy during the long drives or longer flights. This post contains affiliate links and we will earn commission if you buy the products through those links. For more information, please read our disclosures here.

READ MORE: California Allowing Theme Parks, Ball Parks And Stadiums To Reopen With Strict Limits On April 1

“It was good having everybody. I wish we could have lasted longer,” said Larry Goodale, who is a project manager.

Goodale added, “When you are only renting for the night, you only have to pay for the night. And if you don’t run, you don’t pay anything. For us, being shut down, we still have all of our bills.”

It was a sad day for frequent players like Greg Herring.

“This is my favorite place. This is my neighborhood. What am I going to do now?” he said.

It’s an even harder hit for the dozens of charities the bingo hall supported.

READ: South Sacramento Bingo Hall Remains Open Amid Volunteer’s Coronavirus Concerns

“So they don’t have things like this to get extra funds to pay for parts of their programs,” Goodale said.

Volunteers from nonprofits worked the hall for a portion of the profits. Altogether, the hall has given out more than $50 million over four decades.

“Over a million dollars a year to charity that’s not going to be there anymore,” he said.

READ MORE: SMUD Again Extends Suspension Of Non-Payment Shutoffs – Now Through June

The Boys and Girls Club was one of those charities. Funding from the hall helped renovate the club’s North Laguna branch. A club spokesperson said the hall’s partnership and philanthropic efforts will be greatly missed.

Road Bingo

“It was a good pastime for the neighborhood and for the older folks who didn’t have nothing to do in the area,” Herring said.

Get our news app:Download the updated CBS Sacramento News app for iOS and Android

Herring said he wonders what will replace the bingo hall, knowing it was just a game of chance to continue operations as the pandemic continued to push on.

Road bingo for kids

Several staff members will also be out of work now that the hall is closed. Sacramento Consolidated Charities said it plans to sell the building and everything in it.

Road Bingo

A goodbye message on Florin Road Bingo’s website says:

Unfortunately, we have to let you know that Florin Road Bingo will not be back. We have depleted the savings that we had to get through rough times, and while we tried to get a Go Fund Me and Drive-in Bingo up and running at the last minute, when we had to cancel it due circumstances beyond our control, it was too late to try to get it going again. Unlike most charities that only pay rent when they run a session, we had bills that continued during the shutdown.

We are sorry that it has come to this and want to thank the players, volunteers, and staff that have helped us donate well over fifty million dollars during the time that we existed. Please continue to support your favorite charities as they are all struggling through this very difficult time.

Everyone stay safe.

MORE NEWS: BingoRoad BingoCalifornia Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs Law Aimed At Returning Students To The Classroom

Road Bingo Images

The Staff and Volunteers of Florin Road Bingo