April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.

Bingo back big in Troy


By MAUREEN MCGUINNESS- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Bingo is back in Troy.

Atrium Bingo recently opened its doors -- in a space once occupied by Off Track Betting -- on the second floor of the Troy Atrium on Broadway.

The effort is a collaborative effort by eight Catholic churches and schools: LaSalle Institute, Catholic Central High School, St. Peter's, St. Augustine's, Our Lady of Victory, St. Jude's, St. Patrick's and Sacred Heart.

Smoked out

The Bingo operation is big news for the parishes and schools because, six years ago, a change in state and federal law created controversy.

In 1994, laws were enacted that banned smoking in school buildings and on school grounds, the very places Catholic schools and parishes often hosted their profitable Bingos.

The schools in Rensselaer County originally received waivers from the county Board of Health that allowed the games to continue. In 1997, however, complaints to the County Legislature led to a withdrawal of the waivers. Schools were forced to relocate their Bingo operation, offer smoke-free Bingo, or cease the games altogether.

Losses

"Schools and parishes experienced a major loss of revenue when they were required to totally ban smoking in the buildings," said Brother James Romond, FSC, principal of LaSalle.

Sister Carolyn Schanz, CSJ, president of Catholic Central High, said losing the waiver brought about some stressful times for her school. "We used to make $45,000 a year with Bingo," she noted. "There were very serious concerns about making ends meet."

To compensate for the loss of revenue, the school increased tuition and added other fundraisers to the school calendar. Sister Carolyn hopes Atrium Bingo will help the school see an increase in revenue.

"We've heard of groups making $100,000 a year at the Bingo Palace in Schenectady," she said.

Major operation

While Bingo does provide schools with needed revenue, it's not easy money. Schools must find people to staff the operation every week of the year.

"It wouldn't be your favorite way to raise money," said Sister Carolyn.

Elizabeth Allard, principal of St. Augustine's School, doesn't mind the commitment. "I'm somebody who likes Bingo," she said. "It brought my mother joy."

Her school gave up the game totally after the waiver was revoked and lost $10,000 a year. That led to budget cuts and additional fundraisers.

Raising funds

Increasing the number of fundraisers presents challenges of its own, according to Karen Snyder, principal of Our Lady of Victory School. With parents often working outside the home, it's difficult to find volunteers. Her school relies on parents to coordinate the five to six fundraisers held each year.

Unlike the other schools participating in Atrium Bingo, this is OLV's first attempt at the game. Mrs. Snyder said the school chose to participate because of the financial opportunity it provides. Their research showed that they can expect to make $1,000 a week, after expenses.

Bingo and the other fundraisers help "offset the cost of a quality Catholic education," Mrs. Snyder said.

Needed revenue

The principal does not see a day when fundraisers like Bingo are eliminated from the Catholic school budget. "Even public schools have fundraisers," Mrs. Snyder explained.

Sister Carolyn also pointed out that public schools are doing more and more fundraising. However, she believes a voucher system that allows parents to choose the school of their choice would lessen, if not eliminate, the need for fundraisers.

Sister Mary Jane Herb, IHM, superintendent of schools for the Albany Diocese, would like "to see a day without Bingo," calling the ban on smoking a "blessing in disguise" that resulted in the elimination of Bingo at some schools. However, the ban did present problems because "it came so quickly that schools didn't have time to plan."

Alternatives

Over the course of the next several years, Sister Jane will work with schools on developing long-range financial plans. She would like tuition to begin to cover more of the per pupil cost. She would also like to nurture elementary schools' development efforts.

But even with new financial planning efforts, the superintendent said, fundraisers might be here to stay.

"Fundraising has always been a part of Catholic education," she said. "It's getting to a point if we want to do any enhancements of our curriculum or extra-curricular activities, fundraisers are necessary."

Other benefits

Fundraisers shouldn't be seen negatively, Sister Jane said, adding: "They're not all bad. They can be good community-builders. There can be positive benefits."

But Bingo also presents challenges to the Church, which has concerns with gambling's negative effects.

According to the New York State Catholic Conference, "Games of chance or wagers are not in themselves contrary to social justice. However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church also recognizes that the passion for gambling can become an enslavement and that gambling becomes morally unacceptable when it deprives someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others."

Sister Jane noted that while Bingo is gambling, it is a bit different in that "it attracts a different type of person than casino gambling."

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