by Julie Gowel ·
Friday, April 4, 2025
The Harvard Schools Parent Teacher Organization held its first Bingo Night fundraiser on Thursday, March 27, in the Hildreth Elementary School cafeteria. The event was standing room only (or, more accurately, sitting-on-the-floor-room only), hosting over 200 players hoping to score one of the night’s many sought-after prizes.
Marilyn Palma approaches the prize table after winning a round during Family Bingo Night. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz0
Reverend Sean Witty of Harvard’s Congregational Church was the evening’s caller for all 10 rounds of Bingo. True to his name, Witty’s dry sense of humor and running commentary kept attendees engaged and entertained. “How do you feel?” Witty would yell, to which he urged the audience to respond in James Brown style: “I feel good!”
Good enough to spend lots of money on Bingo cards, anyway. According to PTO President, Amy Nutt, they sold approximately $1,500 worth of pre-sale Bingo cards, and another $1,300 worth at the door. Each round featured a prize donated for the event, and included such treats as gift cards (Sephora cosmetics store, Gibbet Hill restaurant in Groton), self-care services (Bodylines Pilates studio, Nuna Therapy), toys and games (from Learning Express, given out during a special “kids only” round), and the grand prize of a chef’s dinner for eight at the Farmstead, Harvard’s 25-acre farm wedding venue on Littleton County Road.
Bingo Night was the brainchild of PTO board member Myjorie Philippe. “The board thought it would be a great way to engage the community through an affordable, spirited event, and also had the potential to be an effective fundraiser,” said Nutt in an interview with the Press. “Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and volunteers, this was a low-cost event for us to put on. Given the engagement from the community, not only are we planning on doing it next year, but we’re hoping to make it even bigger and better.”
The PTO uses the money it raises to fund grants for Hildreth Elementary School and the Bromfield School that help with items that fall outside the school budget, such as field trips, tools (like software and solar eclipse glasses) and supplies, curriculum enhancements, and grants that provide assistance to students in need.
Nutt compared the success of Bingo night to other fundraisers the PTO has put on, such as its annual Fun Run, Pickleball Tournament, and the Readathon. She was pleased with the Bingo Night take, noting that for an event in its first year, it surpassed expectations. The two largest fundraisers for the PTO, according to Nutt, are memberships and the annual Soiree, which is coming up on May 2 at Craft Food Halls. See details in the events section of the Press.
From left: Martha, Beatrix, and David Wrangham.
Seated from left: Abby, Oliver (on dad’s lap), Ryan, and Lydia Gentile react as numbers are called.