Council on Aging holding first annual purse derby fundraiser

By BRIAN HEMMINGER

City editor

The Wyandot County Council on Aging is hosting its first annual Purse Derby fundraiser Friday at the Elks Ballroom in Upper Sandusky.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and the purse bingo officially begins at 6 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear Kentucky Derby-themed attire, with prizes awarded including additional bingo cards. The Elks is located at 320 E. Wyandot Ave., Upper Sandusky.

“We recently had a group trip and visited the Kentucky Derby Museum,” Wyandot County Council on Aging’s Teresa Brodman said. “Several people got to create their own Kentucky Derby hats at a section of the museum called Hatitude. Now many of those trip-attendees are coming back and they’ll be able to wear their hats. People like to get dressed up. Many people are so excited for a chance to wear a fancy Sunday hat because we don’t do that around here.”

The fundraiser will feature a variety of entertainment including basket raffles, a 50/50 raffle, a cupcake raffle and a combination game of chance, among others.

“One of our games of chance, we were donated a bottle of Buckeye Blend bourbon with an Ohio State bag,” Wyandot County Council on Aging Activities Director Amy Gardner said. “It adds a fun Kentucky combination. It’ll be a combination lock game where people buy combinations and we’ll reveal what the combination is at the end.”

The food for the event, with includes an hors d’oeuvres buffet, is Kentucky Derby-oriented and some of the drinks at the Elks bar are Kentucky Derby-themed as well.

Some tickets are available but Gardner said they’re going fast. 

“We’re only selling tickets for 22 total tables,” Gardner said. 

Tickets are $50 each and include six bingo cards, a basket raffle ticket and the buffet. A premium table of eight seats can be reserved and it comes with extra incentives like a bottle of champagne, a charcuterie box and extra drink tokens per person.

Gardner said she and Brodman dreamed of the idea of a Kentucky Derby-themed purse bingo event about a year ago. 

“With this being the 50th anniversary of the Wyandot County Council on Aging, we thought this would be a great year to do a fun fundraiser,” Gardner said.

The fundraiser benefits senior services provided by the Wyandot County Council on Aging.

“In the next 10 years, our over-60 population is booming,” Gardner said. “By like 2034, there are estimated to be more people over the age of 65 than under the age of 18. As the funding from the federal government goes down, we need to continue to do things to sustain ourselves. The funds will go toward senior services first, not senior activities.” 

Gardner said senior activities  are great for helping people enjoy the fun things that come with the aging process, but the Wyandot County Council on Aging’s primary services are what matter most.

“We’re here for the next step when people might need home-delivered meals because they just had a hip replacement or they’ve fallen, knowing we provide services like transportation or chores or more,” Gardner said.

Council on Aging employees Ron Boose and Trey Miller will be announcing the bingo and providing entertainment for attendees. 

“We’re trying to keep a very good vibe, but also keep it a derby feel for a nice evening out,” Brodman said.

Some of our name brands of purses attendees can win include Vera Bradley, Michael Kors, Coach, Tory Burch, Myra and more

Monetery sponsors for the event include Quest Federal Credit Union, Edward Jones, Patrick’s Automotive, Kirby Sand & Gravel, Jason Frey, Mizick Miller, Sunshine Insurance and Bringman Clark and Clark Shields funeral homes. 

For more information about the event, visit www.wyandotseniors.com or call 419-294-5733.