Gambling isn’t my thing. I’m too much of a chicken that I’ll lose my life savings (which ain’t much), if I start. However, for as a fund raiser, where any money I give the “bank” goes to a good cause, I will participate. I’ll even ask my sister and brother-in-law, Randi and Shaun to join me. This was the case on Saturday, February 27, 2016. The Village Network, the organization with which I am employed, held the Second Annual Casino night at the Best Western in downtown Wooster.
We had gone last year and all had a good time. (Lest you think I didn’t bring him, my husband, Bobby, was there, too!) Last year Bobby spent his time at the Black Jack. Shaun at the Craps table. Randi, Sheila (a friend of ours) and I were mostly at the table of chance with the spinning wheel.
This year was a bit different. We didn’t get as many chips as last year. As a fund raiser, this was one of the ways to raise more money. So I was a bit more cautious. Bobby tried the Black Jack table again, but was done with his chips in about a half an hour. Shaun joined him this time and lost his chips, too. Randi and Sheila were a little hesitant to do anything, but tried the spinning wheel again, one time. Then, they went to the craps table and got a quick tutorial from Shaun. That was the last time I saw them the rest of the night. While I mingled, ate, relaxed in the lobby and danced with Elvis, she kept winning. I think she even gave Shaun some chips so that he could play, too.
Before you wonder whether I was hallucinating, there was an Elvis impersonator at Casino Night. Mike Albert sang several of Elvis’ hits and worked the crowd like the king himself. At one point, though I had been trying to avoid being in the same area where he was (remembering from last year that he is an interactive Elvis), I didn’t succeed. I actually danced with him–when in Vegas, you know–and sang one line. “Don’t be cruel.” Not my best singing, but at least I gave it a shot.
By the end of the night, we ended up coming up short. We didn’t win any of the raffle prizes. Just like in Las Vegas, the house won. We left empty-handed, but we still left happy, knowing we had a good time and The Village Network raised money to help build brighter futures for children and their families.
