We all know how to play bingo, but have you ever played bingo by using snippets of songs and the artist’s name to fill a space on a card rather than a combination of numbers like B1 or O75 to mark your spot?

It’s fun, fun, fun to play the game and take that trip down memory lane, especially when you are doing so for a good cause, like supporting a fundraiser for Altrusa House, a licensed adult day care health program for adults with disabilities or special needs. 

“We were looking for a new kind of fundraiser, and somebody saw something about Music Trivia Bingo on the Internet, and this just kind of popped up,” said Dee Dugger, Altrusa House president. “And we can gear the music to our generation; everyone can hum or sing along.”

My bingo card included selections like Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run,” the Moody Blues’ “Tuesday Afternoon,” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”  

Nope, I didn’t win, but I sure had a good time.

The event was held on Friday, Feb. 27, at the Alachua County Senior Center and more than 100 people were there to play.

Altrusa House used to sponsor a well-attended weekend event called “Trading Closets”, in which people would donate gently used clothes, shoes, handbags, and jewelry that would be sold over the course of a weekend at the event, usually held at the Gainesville Woman’s Club.

But Dugger said that was hard, physical labor, especially for a group of aging volunteers.

“We would have to spend time tagging clothes and moving clothes, and it just got to be too much for us to continue to move those heavy racks of clothing. So, we were looking for something to replace that,” she said.

And that’s how Music Trivia Bingo came into the picture for Altrusa House.  Physically easier to conduct the activity, but just as successful as a fundraiser.

In addition to rounds of bingo that tested partygoers’ knowledge of popular music from the 60s and 70s, there were also door prizes, a silent auction, a gift card raffle, and, of course, prizes for the Bingo winners.

The event aimed to raise funds for Altrusa House’s local services, but also money for projects the organization sponsors in Ukraine.  The assistance provided in Ukraine was appealing to some of those who attended the fundraiser.

Bennye Alligood, president of the Altrusa House board, said the group wanted to include Ukraine in its fundraiser efforts because of the need there.

“We have been doing so for the past several years since the war there began,” Alligood said. “The need is so great over there.”

That was the draw for historic preservationist Melanie Barr, who supports local Altrusa House efforts but was also there on behalf of Ukraine.

“I want to help Altrusa House in Ukraine. In Ukraine, the temperature is still in the 30s in the daytime, and they don’t have any running water. They don’t have electricity. And they need warm clothes,” Barr said.

Another attendee, author and illustrator Jenny Dearinger, had nothing but praise for the organization.

“Altrusa House is such a worthy endeavor. We need places that take care of seniors with compassion and empathy,” Dearinger said.

Kirsten Flamand sings with her church choir and came with a few women who sing with her.

“Our church, the Unitarian church, has a choir, and we’re always looking for social events and fundraising events,” Flamand said. “This is perfect because it’s music bingo. So, my soprano friend and my alto tenor friend are here to enjoy the music and to contribute to the cause of Altrusa House and Ukraine.”

Douglas Carbaugh, owner of Imagine Entertainment, who puts together the Music Trivia Bingo program, said he and his master of ceremonies that night, Gene Sanders, probably have as much fun as the attendees.

“We come up with themes, depending upon what the crowd wants,” Carbaugh said.

Everyone attending the event seemed happy with what Carbaugh and his team put together.

As the bingo card distributed said, it was “a decade of mishmash, 65-75,” and it was fun.