Students filled almost every seat at the SMSU Student Activities Committee’s monthly Grocery Bingo night Jan. 24 in the Student Center. 

Participants played to win food and home goods. Attendees showed their excitement with boisterous cries of BINGO! and groans of disappointment when told to clear their cards. 

Sophomore Alyster Schmidt, who won a box of chocolate cookies, said they go for the community. “[It] gives me a reason not to sit inside and rot.” 

Traditional bingo rules are not the only ones followed during the event. Participants can win during special rounds such as “crosses and Xs,” “stand-up, sit-down,” and “blackout.” Special prizes are sometimes reserved for blackout rounds, where players must fill in every number on their boards. 

 Participants take a picture of their board and bring the photo to the front table for confirmation. The SAC introduced a new addition to grocery bingo: a raffle, whose winner is announced at the end of the event. 

 Prizes are varied, but some of January’s consisted of: Smucker’s Goober, cookies, and applesauce. A gift card and a SAC T-shirt were awarded to this month’s raffle winner. The SAC has the final say over prizes, but they consult the community as well.  

 “[We] like to ask people’s opinion” said Brooklyn Mueske, co-chair of clubs & entertainment for SAC. Prize polls can be found on the committee’s Instagram @smsu.sac. 

SMSU’s Grocery Bingo has gone on “as long as anyone can remember,” said Lillian Lewandowski, club coordinator of SAC. Members of SAC estimated the event to be at least 25 years.  

“It’s always packed” said Elsie O’Neil, who chairs the SAC Novelty & Variety committee. 

 The SAC is responsible for creating and organizing community events, such as Stuff-A-Critter, Wire Writing, and Polaroid Photos. 

The next Grocery Bingo is scheduled for Wednesday, March 13 in the upper Student Center with a St. Patrick’s Day theme.