New bingo club a perfect match for Ranch gamers

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Lakewood Ranch resident Chuck Nathan is shaking up Lakewood Ranch Town Hall’s offerings — one number at a time.

On March 30, Nathan, a resident of the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club, officially launched the Bingo Club — the newest club to be sanctioned by Town Hall. About 30 people came to the first meeting.

“It was terrific,” he said. “The bingo game was good. We gave out (some) prizes. People had a good time.”
The group already has booked four more days at Town Hall for meetings, with the next play date from 2-4 p.m., May 5.

Guests can purchase bingo cards — eight sheets of three — for $1 apiece. Eight sheets of six cost only $1.75. Although there are no cash prizes, Chuck Nathan said he hopes to have gift certificates from local restaurants and other similar prizes to offer participants.

“It’s not a gambling game,” Nathan said. “We’re not playing to be millionaires. The few dollars we’re making are to buy accessories (for playing the game).”

Nathan hadn’t originally intended on launching a bingo club in Lakewood Ranch but decided to move forward with the idea after being encouraged by Lakewood Ranch Town Hall Community Activities Director Lori Basilone, who met him and his wife, Belle, several months ago at a Game Day event she was hosting at Town Hall.

“It was great,” Chuck Nathan said of Game Day. “It was funny. The people were happy. There weren’t any gifts or anything.”

Before the Nathans moved to Lakewood Ranch four years ago, Chuck Nathan helped establish a regular bingo game through a men’s club at his former retirement community in Delray Beach.

“They were just looking for something to do,” Belle Nathan said. “Who suggested bingo or how, I don’t know, but they jumped on it. It’s fun.”

Chuck Nathan said he and other members of the group visited other communities who played bingo to watch how they operated to get ideas and improve the games they offered. By the time the Nathans moved to the East County, the monthly bingo game was one of the community’s most popular activities.

Because of his experience, Basilone knew Chuck Nathan would be the perfect resident to get a regular bingo game under way in Lakewood Ranch.

“Chuck’s doing a great job,” she said. “It’s nice that the game day developed into Bingo, and they are taking it on their own.”

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

Lakewood Ranch Bingo Club
DATES: 2-5 p.m., May 5; and 1:30-4 p.m., June 29, Aug. 31 and Nov. 30
ADDRESS: Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.
INFORMATION: Chuck Nathan, 388-0516 or [email protected]