Bingo host Emma Allen, left, gives a new card to gamer Debra Vansandt after she won her first game during a weekly bingo event at the McDonald's located on I-35. The group meets there once a week on Wednesday for 15 rounds of bingo and free breakfast sandwiches and coffee compliments of the restaurant.
Bingo boosts senior friendships in Burleson (Posted 10/21/2009 02:26 pm)
Bingo is the only way to go for many game-loving Burlesonites. A number of area residents have standing appointments to play bingo at McDonald’s restaurants throughout the city.


Longtime gamer Emma Allen has led a group of bingo players for more than five years and admits her Wednesday meetings at the McDonald’s on I-35W is the highlight of her week.

“We’ve really been going a lot longer than five years because the group on Wilshire has been going a lot longer than the group that meets on I-35,” Emma said. “There were two ladies, Margaret and Marie, who started the bingo group over there and they later decided to come up here to Alsbury.”

Like most of the seniors who participate in the bingo groups, Allen has made a lot of friends through these weekly outing and she looks forward to continuing her hobby for many years to come.

“We come up here and play bingo to have a good time and we have laughs and people enjoy winning,” Allen explained. “I don’t really know how it got started but I’ve been calling bingo at both McDonald’s for years now. We get together every week on Wednesdays at the Wilshire location and there’s a group who meets on Thursday’s at the Alsbury McDonald’s. We also have the Senior Citizen’s Center and we call bingo down there on Fridays.”

Those who are interested in playing bingo with the group are encouraged to show up at one of the locations. The players usually start arriving at approximately 7:30 a.m. and no sign up is necessary. The McDonald’s on I-35 provides food and beverages free of charge for the weekly bingo meetings.

 
For full story, check out the October 21 edition of the Burleson Star. To receive current hometown news everyday, subscribe on this website by clicking the My Star link on the the left or by calling: 817-295-0486.