“G 48.”

 

“I 29.”

 

“Bingo!”

 

Around the room groans and laughs are heard as another round of Bingo at the Clearwater American Legion Post 323 comes to a close.

 

This scene takes place twice a week in Clearwater, with the Legion holding Bingo on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons, raising money for veterans and the surrounding community.

 

“We were looking for another way to get customers in the door,” explained Gaming Manager Bruce Rau. “We started out with ‘Wingo,’ which was a promotion where we gave away prizes like hats and t-shirts for free. It didn’t draw in the crowd like we expected so around seven - eight years ago we decided to try Bingo.”

 

After getting approval from both their membership and the State of Minnesota, the Legion began offering Bingo on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 8:30. It became so popular that Sunday afternoons from 4 to 6:30 were added, and today it’s not unusual for up to 100 players to attend, many of them regulars.

 

  “My wife and I are retired and we come to Bingo most weeks with a couple of our friends,” says Mike Kust from South Haven. “We occasionally win but we’re really just here for the fun.” 

 

Over at another table a group of women are laughing and talking in between rounds. 

 

“We’ve been coming every Wednesday night for the past six years,” said Brenda Curtis. “My mom, Rose Gohman, wanted to start a mother/daughter night out and Bingo sounded fun. It expanded to a friends night out, and now it’s become a Wednesday night tradition for all of us.” 

 

The group varies from seven to nine members on any given Wednesday night, but one thing remains the same. “Whoever wins brings candy for the rest of us the next week,” laughed Curtis.

 

All games pay out at 75% of sales, with the exception of two Progressive Games, Picture Frame and Blackout, which have a jackpot payout of $250 and $1,000 respectively. Although winning is great, it’s really more about the community and supporting veterans than the prize money. 

 

“We give back 55% of our net charitable gaming profits to charitable giving,” Rau disclosed. “The rest goes to expenditures and taxes.”

 

The Legion supports numerous community efforts, including the Veteran’s Hospital, Eagle’s Healing Nest in Sauk Centre, local churches, scholarships, youth groups and activities, an active honor guard that attends funerals and parades, and events such as Clearwater Heritage Days and the Clearwater Rodeo.

 

“We would love to have more community volunteers,” said Rau. “We never have enough and you don’t have to be a vet to help.”

 

Along with Bingo, the Legion offers pull tabs, electronic gaming, meat raffles every Friday night, and their biggest fundraiser of the year, a fish fry in February. 

 

“We’re veterans helping veterans,” stated Rau. “That’s our mission.”