By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
With COVID-19 emergency restrictions loosened in City of Yukon buildings, a fun tradition returns this week.
Thursday, May 6 will be “Bingo Night” inside the Dale Robertson Center, 1200 Lakeshore. Bingo starts at 6:30 p.m. and there will be nine games played.
For 46 years, the 501c3 nonprofit Yukon Mobile Meals has relied on donations and fund-raisers like Bingo Night to operate. The program receives no government funding.
Yukon Mobile Meals missed out on a full year of bingo due to COVID-19. In the past, Bingo Night attracted crowds as large as 140.
“We did not have any financial issues through the pandemic because we have very kind people in Yukon who made nice donations that kept us afloat,” Yukon Mobile Meals’ Director Joanne Oltmanns said.
“Because of their generosity and our delivery drivers offering to volunteer more often, we never stopped.”
Yukon Mobile Meals delivers meals to homebound, elderly and convalescing Yukon residents.
The first Thursday of each month is designated for Yukon Mobile Meals’ bingo at the Dale Robertson Center.
“This is a family event and children are welcome to attend,” Oltmanns emphasized.
Winners of the first eight games each earn a $25 prize; winner of the final “black-out” game gets $50. Multiple winners per game split the money.
“For our first night back, we’ll have some nice door prizes between games and pizza as the concessions,” Oltmanns said.
Bingo cards are $3 each; with four-card packs for $12 to play these games. Daubers are provided.
Taking turns as bingo callers are City of Yukon employees Jason Beal and Casey Barnett.
DELIVERING TO YUKON RESIDENTS
Yukon Mobile Meals only serves people who live inside Yukon city limits, although there are no age restrictions.
Volunteers deliver nutritious meals to recipients’ homes between 10:45 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday (except holidays). The meals are prepared inside a Dale Robertson Center kitchen.
Mobile Meals does more than provide hot meals.
The program’s volunteers extend care by serving as a regular “check-in” with each recipient, helping them sustain independence and enhance their quality of life.
Suggested donation is $2 per meal.
“Nobody will be denied if they need help,” Oltmanns explained. “Our Bingo Night helps raised money to cover the meal costs for those who cannot pay.”
The need for Yukon’s home meal program increased during the pandemic, with daily deliveries peaking around 140 recipients. There are about 110 Yukon residents now enrolled in the program.
For more information, call 350-5900 or visit www.yukonmobilemeals.com
