The Valley Line: Bingo Boy and ‘Roxie’ liven up USC VHH Women’s Council fundraiser
Here we are in the first week of March with a weather potpourri of heat, rain and chilling winds. The old saying that March comes in like a lion is oh so true!
Today I’m catching up on some recent happenings. On Feb. 21, the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Women’s Council staged their annual bingo fundraiser at the La Crescenta Women’s Club. More than 100 people were eager to win one of the bingo games.
Directing the fun was “Bingo Boy” Jeffrey Bowman and his sidekick, Roxie, who was in drag. Roxie made quite an entrance with her skin-tight, shimmery dress and even more dramatic eye makeup. Multiple bangles of many colors jangled from both of Roxie’s wrists, and her hair clips were arranged to look like a tiara.
Roxie was a force to be reckoned with as she called out the numbers and threatened to give winners a smart whack on the backside with her leather paddle.
Before guests sat down to try their luck at bingo they partook of a tasty buffet prepared by Gail Connell of Gourmet A Go Go.
Among the Women’s Council members who did such a great job gathering prizes for the silent auction and decorating the club house with Mardi Gras beads and beautifully decorated masks were Pauline Hendricks, Cindy Gilbert, Cindy Sawyer, Teri Rice, Sonia Bagdasarian, Ruth McNevin, Purnima Panchal, Hassie Ramath, Wanda Sellers and Becky Happach.
Greeting guests at the door were Kerri Yoder Hubbard, Barbara Jordan and Julie Shadpa.
It was such a fun night and participants got into the spirit of the evening with loud shouts when they won a bingo game and even louder groans by some of the losers.
Proceeds of the evening are going toward the Women’s Council pledge to raise $100,000 over five years for the building of the hospital’s Interventional Radiology Catheter Laboratory. This specialized lab will be used to visualize the arteries and chambers of the heart and treat any abnormalities found.
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In other social news, on Monday, Feb. 17, the La Crescenta’s Woman’s Club’s Evening Section welcomed representatives from the Montrose Search and Rescue team as speakers. The club presented them with a check in the amount of $500 as part of their philanthropy recognition. Presenting them with the check were LCWC members Debra Cant and Cindy Charles.
The Rescue team is made up of volunteers from the local community who respond to calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Whether the call is for a lost or injured hiker, skier or rock climber, the Montrose Search and Rescue Team is always ready to respond. It’s a remarkable group of dedicated people.