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Bingo badasses donate funds

Nelson community came together to replace funds stolen from SHARE Nelson on December 30, so far have raised $8000.
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On Monday morning Badass Bingo hosts Nelson from Nelson (right) and Ali Becker (left) donated funds from Badass Bingo to pastor Jim Reimer (centre) to help replenish funds stolen from SHARE Nelson on December 30. Hume Hotel manager said the funds were raised through a wide-reaching community effort.

Nelson Pastor Jim Reimer swung by the Hume Hotel on Monday morning to pick up a $2,600 cheque consisting of funds raised by Bad Ass Bingo. The money was intended to replace the funds stolen from SHARE Nelson on December 30.

With this most recent contribution, which came on the heels of a $1,000 donation from a Calgary Church, Our Daily Bread has now received over $8,000 that will go towards serving meals to those that need them.

“It makes me really feel wonderful that people in the community care about what we do — really awesome,” said Reimer, who noted he got a kick out of his association with Bad Ass Bingo. In an attempt to fit in, he turned his hat to the side and tried out a gangster hand signal.

Reimer said the entire fiasco has been bittersweet.

“It’s very challenging for us, because that money was for Our Daily Bread and it was raised by volunteers. To have someone take it? But when the news came out, with this cheque and the outpouring of generosity, it’s been great. Especially for February because we tend to get a lot of money around Christmas and then from February to about April we don’t see much.”

Bad Ass Bingo is a popular night hosted at Mike’s Place by Nelson from Nelson and Ali Becker. It’s been running for three years. Nelson said this was the second of three planned charitable contributions, the first being a $2,000 donation to SEEDS.

The next will go to the Women’s Centre.

“It’s a really fun way to spend your Tuesday nights. It gets a little racy, though. If you call a false bingo you have to read from a dirty novel. We have a small library of smutty material that Ali hand-picks for the unfortunate reader,” said Nelson.

“So if you’re unaware of what’s happening and you just walk in, you might be really confused because everyone’s quiet and laughing and there’s this dirty story coming on.”

Martin joked that the people staying in the rooms above the makeshift bingo hall get to listen to some “pretty interesting bedtime stories.”

Becker said the night is a unique way to contribute to charity while having a blast.

“This is a really great opportunity to give money back to the community and to have people come out, have a good time and make their money count.”

The prizes from bingo night were donated by local residents and businesses, making this contribution a wide-reaching community effort.