Q. What do I need to know, and what can I expect when I arrive at the gym to work Bingo on Saturday night?

A. First, be sure to wear comfy shoes, because you’ll be doing a lot of walking. Sign in at the Parent Volunteer Welcome table in the southwest corner of the gym. A Parent Welcome Committee member will sign you in and give you a name badge and apron.

There will then be a short meeting with the manager and all parent workers for the night. The manager will give you some basic bingo tips, and assign you to one of two sales teams: Bonanza or Pull Tabs/Flash.

When you report to your committee table, the Bonanza or Pull Tabs committee chair will divide up the volunteers, giving you specific tasks and instructions, and will answer any questions about selling on the floor. You will also be given a small amount of cash for making change. You will then be sent out on the floor to sell. An important tip to remember is to make sure you cover all areas of the room (for Bonanza) or your assigned area (for Pull Tabs/Flash). Patrons get upset when sellers clump together or just hit certain areas of the room. Some players tend to buy more than others, so it is tempting to keep returning to specific tables, but all our players are important to us, no matter how much they spend. The Bingo Manager will explain all this in more detail.

Your committee chair will let you know the dinner break time, and you will also get other opportunities to sit down and rest your feet several times during the evening. Dinner is provided, and there will be a sheet at the dinner station for you to sign for your meal.

Volunteering at Bingo is a great opportunity to meet other parents, share information and learn interesting things about life at SPHS.

We ask that you not be on your cell phone while on the floor, unless there is an emergency, and then it would be appreciated if you took the call outside or off the floor. Your dinner break is your own time.

During the last couple games, the manager will call you together for a break. After the last bingo is called (usually around 9:30), you will gather at the gym doors with the clean-up students to thank our patrons as they are exiting. After the players have left, clean-up begins which takes about half an hour.

Q. Can I raise money to pay for my child’s uniforms, entry fees, etc. by working Bingo?

A. Your contributions by working Bingo can be designated for the benefit of a specific team, club or other approved activity. However, the funds must benefit the team or group as a whole, not a specific individual.

Q. How can I earn even more for my student’s activities.

A. Join the Bingo Committee! You’ll be trained for a certain position (e.g. manager, caller) and work, on average, once a month. For your commitment, you’ll earn double the credit of a non-committee parent volunteer!