The Mt. Vernon Education Foundation is bringing back its Bourbon Bags Bingo event Nov. 7 after the inaugural event raised $16,000 last year.
MT. VERNON – Renee Oldham thinks she’s found a recipe for success for the Mt. Vernon Education Foundation’s fall fundraiser.
On Nov. 7, the foundation will host its second annual Bourbon Bags Bingo event fundraiser to support students in the Mt. Vernon Community Schools district.
As foundation director, Oldham was looking for a theme that would appeal to both men and women, and designer bags and bourbon seemed like the perfect combination.
While other Hancock County nonprofits host events featuring bingo, bags or bourbon in various capacities, Oldham opted to combine all three, with event goers playing spirited rounds of bingo for the chance to win their choice of a high-end handbag or top shelf bottle of bourbon.
“There are a lot of purse bingo events out there but none in our county that combine bags and bourbon,” she said.
Last year’s inaugural event raised $16,000 for classroom grants, student scholarships and other programming for the Mt. Vernon schools.
Ginny Brown, director of the Greenfield Central Education Foundation, was among the big winners last year, taking home a designer Michael Kors purse. She thinks the unique fundraiser is great way to appeal to a wider audience.
“There are many purse bingo events which bring, of course, lots of women. This is smart because it appeals to the men as well,” said Brown.
Oldham credits community member Gina Dowden for pulling together the inaugural Bourbon Bags Bingo event in just five weeks.
“She did an amazing job,” said Oldham, who was thankful Dowden returned as event chair this year.
While other bingo-for-bags themed fundraisers tend to draw primarily women, Mt Vernon’s bourbon-and-bags event turned into a date night for many couples, Oldham said.
“People really enjoyed bringing their spouse or significant other, while many brought their posse as well,” she said.
Mt. Vernon school board president Mike Harris was among last year’s winners, scoring a bourbon basket in a spirited round of bingo.
When the foundation surveyed last year’s guests, Oldham said they voted almost unanimously to keep the Bourbon Bags Bingo concept going.
Just as last year, this year’s attendees will compete to win one of five designer bags and five bottles of bourbon, most of which have been donated.
Oldham is especially excited about the event’s new venue this year – the Barn at SilverStone Farm – a new family-run event space that sits near where the Greenfield-Central, New Palestine and Mt. Vernon school districts meet.
“There aren’t a lot of options when you’re trying to find a venue for over 200 people in Hancock County, but I think this year’s facility will lend itself to really elevating the evening,” she said.
As a fellow education foundation director, Brown touts the importance of supporting such fundraisers in Hancock County.
“The community needs to support our schools because students are our future. We want them to have an extraordinary education to equip them to be future leaders,” she said, adding that strong schools equal a strong workforce, home values and community.
This year’s Bourbon Bags Bingo event will take place from 6:30-9 p.m. Nov. 7, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. for the cash bar, which includes a signature drink – Blueprint Bourbon – sponsored by Joyner Homes.
Tickets are limited to 215 people at $40 each, which includes 10 games of bingo, dinner, dessert and a door prize ticket.
Additional bingo cards and raffle tickets will be sold onsite, as well as chances to play the heads/tail game and pull tabs.
Click here for tickets.
