I hate to rain on any parade, but you might want to check into your states regulations regarding Bingo. Do you or don't you need a gaming license etc. I know our state, if the prizes are under $1,000 (total for all prizes) and we make less than $3,000 in a calendar year from this event, we don't have to file. Also in our state, anything with "bingo" in the title is regulated by the gaming commission.
Auctions are a fun event (about the same amt. of work as bingo), and they are not regulated by gaming.
I found this all out quite by accident when we had a parent get upset with us over something and turn us in for gambling (a few years ago, we tried to do a raffle). Just cover your bases.

We are a K-4 school of 260 students. We have a Book Bingo night at our school that is a completely free event for the students and their parents. We buy cases of the overstock/damaged books from Scholastic very cheap (less than $1 a book) and we play 2 or 3 games of Bingo until everybody has won. Each time they win they get to go up to the book table and pick a book to keep. We have popcorn, juice and soda for the kids as well. The whole event costs us less than $600 and gets the kids excited about reading as well as a fun night out at school. Parents play too, but don't win prizes. You could also do this with gently used books donated from students.

Our second Bingo night is coming up in a couple of weeks. Big consideration with a school your size: how many people can you comfortably fit in your gym/cafeteria to play bingo? We have nearly 700 kids, but are limiting ticket sales to 375 total (kids & adults) due to space constaints.

Last year we solicited/bought/begged enough prizes for every kid in attendance, but there was a lot of disparity in value and desireability. We spent about $250 on school-logo water bottles so no one went home empty handed. But this year, we're not trying so hard - it was disgusting to see PARENTS come up and ask to trade their kid's prize for something else because little snookums didn't like it. And then we had the trouble of having "girl" prizes and "boy" prizes because of what was donated. That's not the point of the night, really. This year, we have a box in the school lobby for families to donate a prize, max $10. I'm not sure how that's going, but I suspect the committee will need to buy somethings to supplement the donations (go to the dollar store or similar discount store for cheap stuff).

For a $5 ticket, each person gets a taco or hotdog, chips, drink, popcorn, and a popsicle, plus a bingo card. Last year we considered having other activities that would encourage the families to float around the school, but in the end, we kept it to 2 hours of bingo, with a couple of funny activities on the stage to break up the evening. It was great - families actually sat together (as opposed to kids racing through the school looking for the other activities). And when the night was over, many parents spontaneously started cleaning up so the whole mess was gone, tables put away, in about 15 minutes, rather than an hour with a few volunteers. Easy, fun project. Good family event.

[ 01-21-2004, 11:26 AM: Message edited by: Critter ]

We are trying to have bingo night along with our 1st membership meeting. We are a K-2 school with just about 800 students. How many prizes do you plan for and how long should the playing go on? We are not yet nonprofit and our going at this as a school function. The principal is afraid that his people can't get enough prizes together. We are willing to help but he doesn't want jusst anyone out there asking. what to do?