March 29, 2017 - On Friday, March 24 more than 500 friends of Panola College gathered at the Carthage Civic Center to play bingo for a chance to win designer purses and other prizes. The fundraising event, hosted by the Panola College Foundation, was a complete sellout nine days after opening ticket sales in January. Designer Purse Bingo raised a total of $38,500 to support scholarships, faculty grants and other college projects.
A bonus game sponsored by First State Bank of Carthage was also available for guests to purchase. The grand prize for the game was a Gucci Reversible Tote, valued at $1,150. Brandie Stutes-Best was the excited grand prize winner of the night.
Joshua Carter of Carthage kept the crowd laughing and entertained all evening long as emcee for the occasion.
The Designer sponsor was the Lewis H. Pool Foundation. Game sponsors included Carthage Furniture, City of Carthage, Cricket Wireless, Cutter Towing, Vicky Hudson at Edward Jones in Center, Hudson Financial Group, Ridgway CNC, Cathy Wall with Level, Rachel Davis with Simply Beautiful Salon, and Tradition Senior Living.
Handbag sponsors were Arnold Graphic Design, CD Plumbing Services, Genpak, Hayli Cagle and Associates with Keller Williams Realty, Kelly’s Collision Center, Panola National Bank, John and Jane Ray, Shelby Savings Bank, and Patsy Meck with State Farm Insurance.
Bingo game purses included 24 different purses including brands such as Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Frye, Brahmin, Coach, and Fossil. Bingo winners included Christi Jones of Tatum, Rachel Penner of Carthage, Sarah Register of Tyler, Mary Atchison of Center, Helen Gibson of Carthage, Crystal Meyer of Carthage, Alisha Postell of Beckville, Frances Ellis of Carthage, Ginger Hawkins of Carthage, Tommie Ritter Smith of Carthage, Carolyn Murphy of Shreveport, Elizabeth Smith of Henderson, Jerri Wesner of Carthage, Chiniqua Thomas of Tenaha, Carol Peverill of Carthage, Carla Holmes of Carthage, Lacy Morris of Beckville, Jennifer Coon of Whitehouse, Marlene LaGrone of Shreveport, Kathy Worley of Carthage, Rebeka Shubert-Baker of Gary, Colby Cranford of Gary, Kelly Baker of Carthage, and Ginger Borders of Center.
A ring raffle also garnered prizes that consisted of $100 of Jalapeno Tree gift cards, a gift certificate for Ridgway CNC, a Vera Bradley tote bag, tickets to Schlitterbahn Water Park, a Consuela Wallet donated by Southern Seasons, a spring wreath and welcome mat donated by Kathleen Kruebbe with Century 21 The Joffrion Agency, and a Kate Spade tote bag donated by Pam Harvey at Signatures Salon.
Panola College Occupational Therapy Assistant students and members of the Panola College PTK organization assisted with the event. Sodexo Catering provided the appetizers for the evening. Additional support for Designer Purse Bingo came from Brookshire Brothers, Chicken Express, Photography by Teresa Cage Beasley, JEK Automotive Supply, Southern Seasons, and Whataburger.
“The Panola College Foundation board members were excited to host a second Designer Purse Bingo after such great feedback from our first event,” said Jessica Pace, Director of Institutional Advancement at Panola College. “The event is always entertaining and a lot of fun to prepare for and watch. The support everyone has shown Panola College has been amazing.”
When asked for a possible date for a third Designer Purse Bingo in Carthage, Pace recommends that sponsors and bingo players mark their calendar for Thursday. October 19th and watch for ticket sales to open sometime in July.
