Скачать или смотреть Every Thursday evening in the Houston Heights neighborhood, people in their 20s to their 80s sociali

(14 Jan 2015) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: apus024061

VOICE OVER:
A FUN NIGHT OUT IN HOUSTON�FRIENDS, FOOD, DRINKS, AND�.
((NATS: "I - 23�.Bingo!" and cheering))
THAT'S RIGHT, BINGO.
SOUNDBITE (English) Helen Hegwood, 82 years old, member of Lodge 88 for 70 years and playing bingo here for 50 years:
"I don't win all the time, but I love to play."
EVERY THURSDAY EVENING A CROWD GATHERS AT SPJST LODGE 88, A CZECH HERITAGE HALL.
SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Ann Buri, bingo chairman at SPJST Lodge 88:
"This building here is 50 years old, and we've been playing bingo ever since it was built."
THEY STARTED PLAYING AS A WAY TO SOCIALIZE WITH FRIENDS. BUT INSTEAD OF FADING AWAY�BINGO NIGHT HAS GROWN IN RECENT YEARS_NEARLY TRIPLING IN SIZE.
PEOPLE START ARRIVING AS EARLY AS 4:30 TO GRAB A SEAT�EVEN THOUGH GAMES DON'T START TILL 7.
SOUNDBITE (English) Jo Ann Buri, bingo chairman at SPJST Lodge 88:
"Tonight we'll probably have 650, close to 700."
ALL WITH ONE GOAL - WINNING SOME CASH�
SOUNDBITE (English) Maggie Trendell, Houston resident and bingo player for a few years:
"This isn't your grandma's bingo and that's what I love about it."
THE CHANGING NEIGHBORHOOD DEMOGRAPHICS HELPED BRING AN INFLUX OF YOUNGER PLAYERS. ANOTHER DRAW? THE CHEAP BEER AND BURGERS.
SOUNDBITE (English) Maggie Trendell, Houston resident and bingo player for a few years:
"And this is just a great fun time, where everybody wants to have fun, everybody loves bingo."
BUT HELEN HEGWOOD DOESN'T MIND THE NEW FACES.
SOUNDBITE (English) Helen Hegwood, 82 years old, member of Lodge 88 for 70 years and playing bingo for 50 years:
"Because it brings back memories for us, that we were young at one time, and vivacious."
AND AT LODGE 88, THE ONLY NUMBERS ANYONE REALLY CARES ABOUT ARE THOSE ON THE BOARD.
JILL CRAIG/Associated Press, Houston

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