April 6 , 2023 The Beacon • 25

By Marianne Austin

If you are a senior citizen 60 years and older and like good friends and playing Bingo , then the Coshocton Senior Center is the place for you .

“ We put things in the Beacon , lunch menu , our activities and a monthly newsletter as well as posting activities on Yodel online and the community calendar and we are also on Facebook ,” said Codirector Jean Jacobs . “ Just go to Coshocton Senior Center and you can find the calendar on there too . It is also on the Kno-Ho-Co website . You can get notifications on your phone about activities or if there is a time change or a cancellation .”

One of the popular games played at the center is Penny Bingo . For this activity everyone brings their own pennies , and the winner gets to collect everyone elses pennies as the prize .

Joyce Shaw is known as one of the dedicated Bingo

Marianne Austin

Helen Stone likes to see all her friends , exercise and play Bingo at the senior center .

players however she said she never wins . “ I play all the Bingos ,” she said . “ Penny Bingo is a lot of fun and Open House Bingo where we have a little bit of prizes and it ’ s very entertaining so I can have a social life .”

Shelly McCormick said she brings her elders all the time to play Bingo . “ I am a home health care provider ,” she said . “ I play with them on Penny Bingo like today . The other day I did win three times . I enjoy it . I like hanging out with the elders here , they are a lot of fun . Everyone is very friendly and nice . I help watch their cards too and keep an eye on them to say , ‘ Hey , you got one .’”

Helen Stone said , “ I come to play Bingo and do other stuff like exercises . There are several different kinds of Bingo a week and it ’ s very enjoyable . You win prizes , I see all my friends and they get mad when I beat them . I have won eight in a row before . The last couple times I ’ ve been losing so my pennies aren ’ t so heavy anymore which is good . They were getting too heavy .”

Stone said she doesn ’ t use a lucky charm or have a system . “ I just pick my cards and sometimes concentrate on a number , and it just seems to pop up ,” she said . “ It ’ s just fun and anybody can come . They have all kinds of things here to keep you busy . Penny Bingo is the biggest thing though . “

Senior center activities are open to the public for anyone 60 and older . Open House Bingo is the last Wednesday every month .

“ It ’ s the bigger of our Bingos and lasts about two hours from 1-3 p . m .,” Jacobs said . “ We have a little break in between for snacks . We have Bingo every Monday morning for anyone 60 or older open to the public . We are sponsoring Open House Bingo this month . The prizes come from different agencies throughout the community , usually things that people can use like soap , dish soap , some come from Walmart and Job and Family Services purchase prizes . They had some funding and partnered with us . Job and Family Services provided the prizes today .”

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