Senior Valentine Bingo Breakfast set for Feb. 14 at Albany Civic Center
Fonda Thompson, executive director of Open Arms, to speak at Albany senior event
By Jennifer Parks
ALBANY — Several community partners in Albany are joining together on Valentine’s Day to present the city’s Senior Valentine Bingo Breakfast, and tickets are going fast.
The 18th annual event is set for 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Albany Civic Center, located at 100 W. Oglethorpe Blvd., on Feb. 14. Hosted by Albany Recreation and Parks, it is for adults aged 50 and older and will include a breakfast as well as a game of Bingo for prizes.
Recreation Supervisor Tee Taylor said the scheduled guest speaker is Fonda Thompson, executive director of Open Arms. J.L. Litman, director of J.L. Litman Funeral Home, and Dougherty County Coroner Michael Fowler have both contributed to the event in recent years by bringing flowers and other prizes for those who attend.
Taylor said Litman and Fowler would be taking part again this year.
“Everyone that attends the event gets real roses,” she said. “(Fowler) will be rewarding them with some type of beautiful surprises. You never know what the surprises will be.”
Taylor said the guest speaker is given the liberty to choose what they will be speaking about, but that attendees can expect to find Thompson’s remarks relevant to them.
“We want them to talk about something the seniors need to hear,” Taylor said.
Taylor said the event is meant to be an opportunity for seniors to come together and socialize, and go back to the day that their sweethearts made a point of giving them flowers and candy on the special day.
It also helps them to make sure they are not forgotten.
“We are trying to keep it going to let them know the community does care about them,” she said.
Tickets are limited, and will not be sold at the door. The cost is $10, and Taylor said the event usually sells out — adding that chances are it will do so again this year based on how ticket sales are going so far.
“Every year we have a sell out,” Taylor said. “We encourage the seniors to get their tickets early. If you come, you will have a good time.
“We are all excited about it.”
Tickets may be purchased at the Recreation and Parks office located at 1301 N. Monroe St. from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call (229) 430-5222.
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