Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1542243
6 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | DECEMBER 2025 By Suzette Strauss, Resident In the fall of 2025, a tragedy occurred here at SDV— one that left a room full of people with nothing to do or shout and squeak about on the second and fourth Monday nights of the month. Yes, the beloved B-I-N- G-O machine popped out its last ball. Oh, the sorrow when the news got out on the Community Blast. My husband and I had only just begun to play, so thankfully we were not as devastated as some. Then the day came, when at the monthly Board of Directors meeting, it was announced that a new machine was approved, as it was a budgeted item. Though December of 2025 only allowed one appearance of the new machine, this month it's back in full swing. To celebrate, I thought I would share some fun facts about B-I-N-G-O. The inventor of the modern-day B-I-N-G-O was Hugh J. Ward. He introduced it in the 1920s, then patented the game and in 1933 wrote a book on the rules. The game is said to have evolved from a game played in Italy around 1530 called, "Il Giuoco del Lotto d'Italia." I can think of another game that likely came from Italy, perhaps the Lotto? Cleveland, OH is home to the largest B-I-N-G-O products manufacturer in the world, Arrow International, Inc. It is said that the game was made popular by a toy salesman from New York named Edwin S. Lowe. I wonder how many patterns were popular in his day. I found sites that offered 200 patterns, yikes! Our story ends, or really begins again, in January 2026 where you can come to the Lodge on the second and fourth Monday nights at 6 pm for a chance to win. And just in case you don't walk away with cash, you can always leave singing the famous chorus, "And Bingo was his name-o." B-I-N-G-O Is Back!