Bingo back in business with P.E.I. Vax Pass

A bingo hall in Charlottetown says it has hit the jackpot with the vaccination passport.

Parkdale Sherwood Lions Club Bingo hit an attendance record Sundaywith 110 people in the hall.

"Because the double vaxpass came in, people are starting to feel more and more confident and they're starting to come out," said Jerry Heartz, a Lions Club board member who helps run the bingo.

Lions Club had to shut down its bingo facilityfor a while last year due to physical-distancing restrictions. Revenues for the charity fundraising venture came to a screeching halt. Numbers have been climbing slowly since the facility reopened in January, and now that the vaxpass is in placefundraising revenues are arching upwards.

"Bingo customers are very loyal," said Heartz. "They just can't wait to get back."

For the love of bingo

The vaxpass has changed the way Lions Club volunteers run the bingo hall.

Players now make reservations and book tables in advance.Lions Club keeps a list of customers who've shown their pass, so they don't need to check them every night. With the addition of 20 names last weekend, that list now stands at 294 names.

Love of bingo may be thereason some of those people are double vaccinated.

"You stay at home basically bottled up, or you do it, and get it done and make it safe for everyone else," said Heartz.

The bingo hall on Valley Street is crucial to fundraising efforts by theParkdale Sherwood LionsClub. It generates about 95 per centof the more than$200,000 the clubgives to local charities eachyear, according to Heartz.

"It's slowly coming back as people come back," said Heartz.

Seating capacity in thebingo hall is currently capped at 200 people. Chairs and tables remain well-spaced. Face masks are required only when people leave their seats and are moving around the room.

Hot food at the snack bar is expected to return next month.