Oh brother! 
Posted on 10/25/2002 5:06:54 PM PDT by SheLion
Center officials said that a ban on smoking at bingo games, which was implemented in June of 2001, caused attendance - and revenues - to plummet to levels where it was no longer feasible to operate bingo games every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Joanne Paradis, 54, of Topsham played bingo at the 55 Plus Center for years, every Friday and Saturday night, and on Sundays. "The place stunk," she recalled. "I'd come home after playing and my husband would say, 'You stink,' " Paradis recalled. Knights of Columbus hall in Brunswick . Players who smoke must sit at a table designated for smokers, according to Russ Marquis, a member of the Knights' board of governors. The Knights' hall is nearly three times the size of 55 Plus's, and smoke-eating machines suck up the smoke during Tuesday night games. "I think the council will be sympathetic to their plight, but that doesn't mean we will be making up the difference."
BRUNSWICK — For more than 25 years, bingo games hosted by the 55 Plus Center have provided a reliable source of revenue for an organization dedicated to serving the needs of seniors in Brunswick, Harpswell and Topsham. During their heyday, the games generated about $60,000 a year , according to Executive Director Sigurd Knudsen. But this month, the center's board of trustees, seeing no other option, decided to stop the bingo games - probably forever.
"For a long time we had this cash cow, which I liked to describe as our golden handcuff," Knudsen said. "The trustees felt they had to take action."
The trustees acted after seniors who came to the center to take yoga, tai chi, line dancing and other fitness classes complained repeatedly about the stench of cigarettes. Fitness classes were being held in the same hall as bingo games, at different times.
The center's mission is to enrich the lives of people 55 and older through organized social, recreational and educational programs.
Knudsen said the center lobbied the Legislature last year on a bill that would have banned smoking at all bingo halls, but the legislation failed to pass.
"The building stunk. It reeked of smoke," Knudsen said.
Still, Paradis, who quit smoking 10 years ago, will miss the games and the social experience they provided.
"I had lots of fun and many good memories," she said.
After smoking was banned, players gradually left the 55 Plus Center bingo game to pursue winnings at establishments that allow smoking.
One of those places is the
"Bingo has saved us (financially)," said Marquis. "We keep drawing players in and no one is complaining about the smell of smoke."
Since smoking was banned by 55 Plus, Knudsen said the center has spent about $8,000 to remove the smell of smoke from the hall. The organization's bingo license will expire on Dec. 31. Trustees plan to reconsider their decision, but Knudsen said he doubts that bingo will return to the 55 Plus Center.
Instead, the center expects to embark on a new course.
This week, Knudsen presented the Brunswick Town Council with a plan to enlarge its board of trustees from nine to 15 members. The plan would remove Town Manager Donald Gerrish from the board, making it easier for a larger group of residents to solicit funds on behalf of the center. The center would continue to receive about $40,000 a year from the town, which owns 55 Plus's buildings and provides the space rent-free.
"Obviously, this is a significant hit on their finances when all they were trying to do was be health-conscious," said Councilor Steve McCausland.
Most of the center's $240,000 operating budget will have to be funded through private fund-raising, Knudsen said.
Down the road, the 55 Plus Center may be moved into the former high school on McKeen Street, as part of a multi-generational facility the town is considering. Since 1976, the center has occupied two buildings on Noble Street, which used to be the home of the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.
In the meantime, Knudsen believes the board will need to become more aggressive in the area of fund-raising if the center is to survive. That might mean undertaking a capital campaign, more public dinners, and more grant applications to secure financial support, he said.
"I think the community will respond to our need," Knudsen said.
Staff Writer Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:
dhoey@pressherald.com
Go to the Knights of Columbus for BINGO!!! They have a Smoking Section!! And big Smoke Eaters!!!
You think? You already dissed 25-30% of the people!
I guess that's one way around it.
Oh brother!
oh yes! That's already started!
What's happening? I am trying to post and it won't. 
That's it.
Death of Bingo.
Did I miss something here, is this second hand after smoke? I thank I've heard everything now. Geeeesh.......
Did I miss something here, is this second hand after smoke? I thank I've heard everything now. Geeeesh.......
Since WHEN is a *smell* unhealthy?
Scheduled Smoking Breaks! Go figure! At Bingo??
Gee - how about getting the whiny little anal-retentive helath addicts to make contributions to cover the losses???????
Oh, I forgot, that can't be done, only smokers are expected to pay their way and that of EVERYONE else.
They deserve to lose the money.
I live about 6 hours north of Brunswick. It's down in sourthern Maine.
(I couldn't post last night, due to FR having problems).
Well, when the war on the smoker didn't work, the anti's started their psychological warfare on the general public. Telling them that second hand smoke is KILLING everyone.
They are using tired and worn-out junk science that has since been shot down. Does that stop the anti's? NO!
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