CROSBIE’S BINGO DEBUT A SUCCESS

February 17, 2010

OSHAWA, Feb 16: You can give Elizabeth and Sandy Crosbie a A+ on the Optimist Report Card for a job well done during their solo flight at operating the monthly fundraising bingo for the Optimist Club of Oshawa  held at Red Barn Bingo Hall. The  NEW  bingo co-chair couple passed with flying colours. They’re both ambitious who devote unlimited  time at  being accurate.

After a few months of training, the Crosbie have become official co-chairs.  They have replaced v. Bbeteran’s – current president Stephen Hambley and secretary Jim Shaw. Both  have endorsed the nre co-chairs involvement. Hambley and Shaw have been operating Optimist Club of Oshawa bingo’s for the past  15 years.

‘It’s time for those guys to have a break’ remarked president elect Sybil Dewhurst. Both are burnt out from doing to much. the  Hambley and Shaw will alternate supplying experience support until the spring making  the transfer is completely smooth.

Receiving strong volunteer support from Eric Goodwin, Peter Pniauskas, Sybil Dewhurst and Marjorie Ogden the operation went smoothly. Both  Stephen Hambley and Jim Shaw served as advisors and provided teaching skills.

A total 81 customers attended the late night session. Future bingo’s are scheduled for March and April under the current license.

Hopefully when the new license is issued their is a possibility of a new start time for Oshawa Optimist operated bingo’s.

Any Optimist or Friends of Optimist can  volunteer  as a helper by contacting the Crosbie’s at 289-240-6309  OR via email at bingo@oshawaoptimist.ca

NO STOPPING- OSHAWA VOLUNTEERS STILL FUNDRAISING

December 20, 2009

OSHAWA, Dec 21;- Fundraising never stops for members of the Optimist Club of Oshawa Inc. After completed a busy and successfull car raffle and the 26th annual Christmas Food Hamper & Toy deliveries over the weekend the fundraising beat continues serving our mandate of ‘Serving our communities Youth’

To-morrow nite Tues. Dec 22 at the Red Barn bingo hall  lead by president Stephen Hambley and his Optimist volunteers another Bingo will be held. Volunteers are requested to be in attendance at 9;00 pm . Joining Hambley will be Sybil Dewhurst, Ruth Lelone, Marjorie Ogden plus the husband/wife combo of Elizabeth and Sandy Crosibe.

To end off the 2009 Fundraising campaign, Jim Shaw takes over the reigns for the Dec. 30th late afternoon bingo at 3 pm. His helpers include Sandy Crosbie, Elizabeth Crosbie and Stephen Hambley.

OPTIMIST FINALLY GETTING USE TO LATE NIGHT BINGO’s AT THE BARN

November 21, 2009

OSHAWA, Nov. 19th; An adjustment period seems to have been adopted by the Optimist Club of Oshawa members monthly Bingo team  at the Red Barn location in Oshawa. After almost 30 years working bingo’s at the Whitby Hideawayduring   prime time Saturday evenings (7pm to 10 pm) it has taken a few months to adjust to the late night sessions at the Red Barn in Oshawa.  The Optimist Club saw the their previous venue close it’s doors January 31 going into receivership have slowly but surely adjust to the late nights. It took six months to receive permission to operate Bingo’s in Oshawa an our bank account had shrunk to $2.68.

Club president elect Stephen Hambley stated for him Bingo’s have been a trying experience suffering from the lack of sleep the following . He must get up at 4:30 am to start his day shift regular work schedule  at General Motors by 600 am. You don’t leave the hall until about 1:30 am and it makes for a long next work day having less than 3 hours sleep.

The money raised is the best part says Hambley. Certainly the monthly windfall payoff helps with our Youth and Community projects. Operating  once a month compared to weekly event prior at the Whitby location does produce more time off than previously.

This past week (Nov 19) Bingo was conducted with 81 patrons. Hambley was joined by his trusty side kick Optimist Jimmy Shaw while new Optimist Marjorie Ogden and Sybil Dewhurst worked their first ever Bingo. Mext scheduled Oshawa Optimist bingo  session is set for Dec. 22. Yes it’s another 9:00 pm start time for our loyal volunteers.

LATE NIGHT OPTIMIST BINGO BECOMING POPULAR WITH PATRONS

September 25, 2009

OSHAWA, Sept 21;   It was another successfull night for the Optimist Club of Oshawa sponsored monthly bingo at the late night session held at the Red Barn Auditorium.  The Oshawa Optimist joined the “Barn” back in mid July after serving nearly thirty years at the defunct Hideway Charity Bingo Hall.  The Whitby venue closed it’s doors effective January 31 and the Optimist like 45 other charities had no revenue for six months.

The largest crowd since their “Barn” participation attracted 105 customers. The patrons enjoyed huge payouts.

It’s been an easy adjustment transfer from Whitby to the Red Barn. “It’s been very smooth” remarked Stephen Hambley a veteran Optimist volunteer. He continued to say the atmosphere and professional  business practises displays make it easy to operated at the new venue. He credits the co-operation from Frank Sobil for the transfer from Whitby to Oshawa a easy and correction decision we’ve ever made.

The Oshawa Optimist have secured three additional dates under lottery license number M692029. Dates include Oct. 12, Nov 19 and Dec. 22.

Reliable Miles Richardson, Kenny Ferrill, John Zarowny, Stephen Hambley and bingo chair Jim Shaw worked the Sept 22 bingo performing yeoman service.

Profits secured will be dispatched to the upcoming Durham College Athletic Scholarship fund and the 19th annual Wado Kai Karate events scheduled for November and Deceember respectively.

THREE NEW DATES ADDED TO OSHAWA OPTIMIST BINGO AT THE ‘BARN’

September 11, 2009

OSHAWA, Sept 11th.  The Optimist Club of Oshawa members sponsored bingo’s  held in Oshawa at the Red Barn 172 Wayne Street have   secured  three more operating  dates.  The Red Barn Charities Association has granted Tuesday, Oct 13, Thursday, Nov 19 and Tuesday December 22nd to our schedule.

All Optimist Bingo’s will commence at 10:15 pm. with the volunteer workers scheduled to report at 9:15 pm for the monthly card count, work assignments in  preparation for the Bingo.  Four members are required to work (volunteers) for each session. This is our second set of scheduled events with the  first session being completed on Tuesday, Sept 15th. Volunteers are required and should contact bingo coordinator Jim Shaw to help.

RED BARN BINGO’S REMAIN POSITIVE FOR OPTIMIST MEMBERSHIP

August 19, 2009

OSHAWA, Aug 17th; Our second bingo at the our new home the  Red Barn Auditorium continues to grow on our membership of the Optimist Club of Oshawa. After 30 years working at the rival Hideway Bingo location in Whitby, our volunteers are starting to adjust to the new way of doing Bingo’s. Stephen Hambley a veteran of working Optimist Bingo remarked at the “Barn” it has a more relaxed feeling.

We find the system employed at the Oshawa location very straight forward resulting with  no room for error.  That’s the good thing remarked Optimist Bingo chairperson Jim Shaw.  Other than that to operation is very similar. This minus side is working the late night games. Optimist volunteers arrival time is 9:00 pm. and once everything is balanced the helpers don’t get to bed until 2:00 am the following day. Just prior to the closure of the Hideaway on Jan 31, 2009 the Optimist members operated day time  events.Some senior members are having problems  adjusting.

Eight two customers appeared on Monday, Aug 17th creating gross receipts of $6,357.03

Volunteers supplied by the Optimist Club of Oshawa included  Tyler MacDonald, Johnny Zarowny, Miles Richardson, Stephen Hambley and Jim Shaw.  Our next Bingo is scheduled for Tues. Sept. 22.

NEW BINGO HALL FOR OSHAWA OPTIMIST RE-KINDLES THEIR FUTURE

July 15, 2009

OSHAWA, July 14:- It was a long day that ended at 1:30 am as the Oshawa Optimist Club returned to Bingo after a six month layoff. Recently the Oshawa Optimist where accepted and approved by the Red Barn venue to operate monthly after their 28  year old venue at Whitby’s Hideaway hall closed it’s doors officially on January 31st.

The Optimist members where  accepted the Red Barn. Despite being forced to work  late night games. We’re the new kids on the block said president Optimist  Petrina Perrineau and we must accept what we can get. “We require this revenue outlet” continued Perrineau as the club is broke and living on a shoestring. Without bingo the Oshawa Optimist where considering folding. At present the Oshawa club are raffling off the General Motors ‘09 Vibe in support of their 26th annual Christmas Food Hampers/Toy deliveries for needy Oshawa families on Dec. 20th as selected and screened by the Salvation Army.

Working our first bingo where Perrineau, Stephen Hambley who had to be at work early this morning while John Zarowny and Jim Shaw are both retired.Both Zarowny and Shaw where mainstays at another Optimist community project at the annual Downtown Oshawa Side Walk Sale thus creating lack of sleep for this quartet.

Procedures  at the Red Barn are slighly different by comparision to the Whitby Bingo’s. A night’s end the final tally was a mere $1.00 short. Next Oshawa Bingo goes on Monday, July 17th.

OSHAWA OPTIMIST BACK IN BINGO BUSINESS STARTING JULY 14

June 15, 2009

Oshawa, June 15:- Over one hundred and eigfhy days will have pasted since the Optimist Club of Oshawa Inc members have operated a Ontario Lottery Bingo,

A pioneer in the bingo business since 1982 operating out of Whitby’s Hideaway Hall located with in the LeGala Banquet Hall (Lower Level) the hall closed it’s doors on Januart 31st citing a variety of reasons for the closure.

Since February lst, Jim Shaw Oshawa Optimist Bingo chair considers his club has lost ove $10K of pooling revenue. Those funds where designed to support the Oshawa Optimist mandate being a Friend of Youth. The final pooling cheque received for working the January Bingo’s was just over $2,000.00. As of to-day our bingo account was closed with $3.65 remaining. A new bingo account will be opened at the Auto Workers Credit effective July lst.

Frank Sobil the Red Barn (Oshawa) Charities president informed the Oshawa club of their official acceptance effective July lst. Oshawa Optimist had official applied for a Oshawa license back in February. Oshawa Optimist have been alloted three scheduled seesions (one per month) commencing Tuesday July 14th. This will be followed bt Monday, August 17th, and Tuesday September 22nd. Our initial license covers a three month period compared to the familiar six month contract in Whitby. The initial license has the Oshawa Optimist operating from 10:15 pm till midnight. Volunteers will be requested to appear before 9:15 pm. for duty instructions.

Despite the reduction in alloted dates in comparsion to the Hideaway venue, Oshawa chair person Jim Shaw remarked “it’s better than having NO BINGO – at lease we will have revenue coming in’

OSHAWA OPTIMIST BACK IN THE BINGO BUSINESS?

June 11, 2009

OSHAWA, June 08 - A positive sign has finally hit the Optimist Club of Oshawa Inc members. We could be back in the Bingo Business.

The Oshawa club main fundrasiser weekly bingo at the Hideaway Bingo Hall ceased operation on Jan 31, 2009. The Whitby venue has been home for weekly Bingo’s since 1982 and the lost of revenue has hurt the sponsorship of Youth and Community events. We lost an estimated $10,000.00 in charity revenue said Bingo Optimist Bingo chair Jim Shaw. That lost money has resulted on cut-back or  elimination on the sponsorship agenda for this summer.

Earlier this week Freda Baldson offered a tentative verbal approval for the Oshawa entry at the Red Barn venue in Oshawa to operate once a month bingo’s commencing July 2009.  Thats a major drop inbingo  events however it allows the Oshawa Optimist a fresh starting on the road to recover At the present time the Oshawa Bingo account stands at a lowly $3.65 the lowest point ever in the club was formed on July 22, 1982.

Current plans call for all the Whitby clubs to transferred to either Oshawa or Pickering Bingo Halls. This would result in only two bingo halls within Durham Region from a previous high of upwards to twenty. The  Oshawa/Pickering agreement calls for a two year contract and will be reviewed by the Ontario Lottery and Game Commission in 2011.

Offical Oshawa approval will become officials once they produce a “Letters Patten” signed agreement that was produced in 1982  the  year the club was formed. This is a  Ontario government document and without  the cooperation of Oshawa/Whitby MPP Jerry Ouellette  this number document 623686  couldn’t be located. We expected this information will be  dispatched to the Oshawa officials in time to meet the June 30th deadline. Seems no current members  new the whereabouts of this document. An advance cost of $155.00 was charged  to conduct the search.

OTW REPORTER FOLLERT SAYS OCO SUFFERS WITHOUT BINGO

April 26, 2009

PUBLISHED BY OTW (Metroland) On April 22

OSHAWA- When the Optimist Club of Oshawa got its start in 1982, it had more than 100 members.

Today there are a dozen who keep things going.

It’s not a new story- service clubs every where have seen their numbers decline as original members age and few young people come on board as replacments.

At the end of January, the bingo hall in Whitby, where the club hosted its fundraiser games closed its doors.

They’ve tried to replace the funds with euchre parties, “but the proceeds don’t come close”

Club spokesman Jim Shaw said bingo was their biggest source of income, bringing in funds required to accomplish their youth and community requirements. Shaw estimates at least $3,000 in funding has been since the closing at the Hideaway Bingo Hall. Shaw continued saying the Optimist require roughly $50,000. a year to keep the Optimist program afloat.

“There is jyust no way we can make up the money” said Mr. Shaw. who is a past president and current club treasurer. “We have to beg, borrow and steal” to remain solvent. And we’re going to have to cut back or elimate our various events.

The Oshawa Club of Oshawa sums up its mandate in three words. “Friend Of Youth” The club operates numerous Youth and Community programs averaging about one per month including the quarter century old, Christmas Food Hampers and Toys deliveries to 100 needy Oshawa families, eliminatary school pancake breakfasts, various sports tournaments, Durham College Athletic Scholarship, annual CCDHH Contests, Wado Kai Karate annual tournament, Blast Ball for Youth ages 3 to 10 just to mention a few.

“All events are vital and import” to the community and with fundraising it’s going to hurst our community as a whole says Shaw. We use to issuing complete scholarships but in rececent years we’ve be reduced a mini dollar amount.

“There is just no way we can make up the money from Bingo Profits” say OCO Jim Shaw”

In an effort to make ends meet, the Oshawa club is seeking new fundraisers until their application to operate Bingo is Oshawa is approved.At  present their application is hung up in “City Red Tape”

From May 8 thru the 10th the Optimist Members will be hosting their first ever Lob-Ball fundraising tournament at the historic Alexandrs Park.  Alexandra Park is the orginal home of softball in Oshawa. OCO are seeking 16 entries. To enter a team the cost is $270.00 with a guarantee of 3 games. Also included in the price is the famous Opti-style team breakfast on Saturday, May 9th. Game day bottled water and a batboy (girls) will be supplied to each upon request.

Another fund raiser is a huge Euchre downtown tournament during the annual downtown Oshawa sidewalk sale operating from July 15 to the 18th, a major undertaking is a car raffle is on the drawing board.

OTW Photo Located At: http://newsdurhamregion.com/article/124062

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