The fourth annual Bingo Night fundraiser was not only a success for the Soboba Tribal Preschool students who will benefit from the proceeds but for the 400 players who filled the Soboba Sports Complex for a fun night on March 6.
Preschool Administrator Lenora “Ponie” Mojado thanked everyone for coming to support the children who will be able to take more field trips and have added classroom enhancements because of their generosity.
“Thank you so much for coming out tonight,” Mojado said. “This helps the preschool and kindergarten classes take trips throughout the whole school year. I want to say a special thanks to the preschool families who donated baskets, bingo items, and food for the preschool snack shack. We wouldn’t be here without you. I also want to give a big shout-out to the preschool parents, families, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents who helped the preschool during this entire school year. We truly couldn’t have done it without your support.”
Aside from the $20 admission ticket which included a delicious dinner by Tribal Chef Anita Morillo and crew plus four Bingo cards, raffle tickets, additional game cards and a 50-50 drawing opportunity were made available. The response was overwhelming as guests lined up to purchase more chances to win.
Geneva Mojado and Monica Herrera welcomed the sold-out crowd on behalf of the entire Tribal Council. They also assisted with those wishing to purchase additional cards or tickets and introduced the current Daughter of Soboba ($óvoova Po’$wáamay) Su’la Arviso, who was also lending a hand throughout the evening.
It wasn’t just community members who attended to have a great meal, spend time with family and friends and have a chance of winning some amazing prizes. All staff members from the preschool joined in to help out in many different ways. Most notably is the time they spent collecting donations for the 76 outstanding raffle prize baskets that filled tables across the front of the room. Weeks of preparation included selling all of the tickets before the big night.
The event also brought out volunteers from the Soboba Youth Council and members of the Four Directions club who earned high school community service hours for their work serving up pasta dinners, helping with raffle prize giveaways and more.
Raya Salgado, Chairwoman of Soboba Youth Council and Vice President of the Four Directions club at San Jacinto High School where she is a sophomore, was happy to help wherever she was needed. Joining Raya to assist with the fundraiser were fellow Soboba Youth Council members Shania Guacheno and Noyaaykit Silvas and fellow Four Directions club members President Moyla Arviso, Secretary Ginger Velazquez, Lokelani Basquez, Aisha Kabeer, and Irene Cervantes.
The Soboba Youth Council is hosting their own Bingo Night on June 12 from 6-8 p.m. It will be similar in structure, and they are hoping to attract game lovers from all over to participate.
Although Raya’s time was donated, she didn’t go home empty handed. Her father Jerome Salgado bought a lot of raffle tickets, and it paid off very well. One of the baskets he won contained an Insta360 action camera that Raya has been saving up to buy. As a photographer for school and community functions and sporting events, she has shared her talent and skill with many outlets.
Guests were able to put tickets in the boxes for the raffle prizes they liked best, so all lucky winners went home with something they truly wanted or needed. Buckets geared to movie nights and game nights were popular with families and children-themed buckets got the preschoolers excited.
Cellophane covered baskets and buckets ran the gamut from a variety of kitchen items such as air fryers, cookware and coffee pots to an outdoor gas BBQ grill. Soboba Rx compiled health-related items for men, women and children. Preschoolers who were attending the event with their parents had a say in which tickets were placed inside the box in front of baskets filled with activities geared toward the young set such as toys, games and plushies.
Soboba Tribal Environmental Department provided a bucket filled with energy-saving devices and a gift card for Roadrunner Express. Raising Cane’s donated one filled with Cane’s merchandise and a gift card for their chicken meals. Two portable generators and a 70-inch Roku TV attracted a lot of attention and a camping bundle proved there was something for everyone. Soboba Casino Resort offered a two-night deluxe room stay that included a round of golf for two, a voucher for $100 in slot play and a $200 dining credit at their award-winning Canyons Steakhouse.
Tellez Party Rentals donated a free jumper rental that included a cake from JT Bakes and the Noli Beading Club’s basket had beautiful jewelry pieces plus a children’s beading kit. Two Angels baseball baskets featured team merchandise and two admission tickets, courtesy of Leland Razon.
Soboba Foundation Sponsorship Coordinator Andrew Vallejos emceed the event for the third year in a row. As always, he kept the event flowing with his energetic and engaging style.
Pastors Albert and Virginia Duenaz of the Kut’-Poki Soboba Lighthouse church came to support the preschool where their granddaughter attends. She is a student in Ana Garcia’s pre-kindergarten class. Both help out at the school whenever they can.
Garcia was among the teachers that led tiebreaker games for two of the Bingo games. The first one resulted in a three-way tie. It was a preschool-themed color game where Garcia rapidly called out color names and contestants had to touch any one of the color sheets except that one. It took a few minutes, but Carrie Garcia eventually emerged the winner of the $200 payout.
The next tiebreaker resulted in a head-to-head cup stacking competition, also a favorite preschool activity. Preschool teacher Julissa Garcia explained that the two contestants had to stack 15 red SOLO cups on top of each other and then had to separate them out to create a pyramid of rows consisting of 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 stacked cups, using only one hand. Pepe Figueroa won and walked away with $200 cash. The third Bingo game was a solo win by Marian Chacon with no tiebreaker game needed. Although the fourth game, which was a blackout Bingo, resulted in a tie between Donna Hulstrom and Kristie Shear, they opted to split the prize money.
For players that wanted more action, additional game cards were available for purchase. Additionally, thanks to a generous donation from Alyssa Soza and Junior Medina, whose son Kavikvish Medina is a Pre-K student, two extra rounds of bingo were offered to those that purchased two special cards for $20. Each of those blackout games had a $500 payout.
Another moneymaker for the preschool was the presence of a snack shack offering all kinds of sweet treats and snack items. The popcorn machine was going nonstop as guests of all ages wanted some. Tara Placencia has volunteered to oversee the operation all four years as she has lots of experience running concession stands at various community events. She was happy to help knowing all the money raised is going back to the preschool. Placencia also donated and served her delicious iced tea and sweet tea, a perennial favorite.
Ponie Mojado ended the evening by giving a shout to all those whose participation and support before and during the event made its success possible. They are Tribal Council, Tribal Executive Officer Steven Estrada, Andrew Vallejos, Preschool Administrative Assistant Maria Hernandez, teachers and staff Julissa Garcia, Jess Thompson, Ana Garcia, Amanda Juarez, Alaina Adkins, Jasmine Basquez, and Rachelle Peterson. She also thanked “amazing chefs Anita, Arlene, Arturo, Perry, and pool staff who helped” along with SCR and staff Corryn Salgado Flores, Johnny Frandsen, and the Soboba Sports Complex. Those who pitched in from Tribal Administration included Ulises Pedroza, Bernadette Jones, Darlene Adkins and Jasmine Robinson, Miguel Rodriguez from IT and members of the Soboba Foundation. Other departments who stepped up were Tribal Family Services, TANF, Soboba Rx, SEDC, Roadrunner Express, and Noli Indian School’s Beading Club. Community partners were In-N-Out, Los Portales Taco Shop, Roscoe’s Promotions, Texas Roadhouse, Raising Cane’s, Stater Bros., LuLu Lounge, Tellez Party Rental, The Bay Customs, JT Bakes, Nails by Leslie, and the Daughter of Soboba Committee.
“Families that helped with organizing and donating baskets were Joey Placencia, Tara Placencia Taryn Placencia, Buster Mojado, Leland and Sunnie Razon, Marian and Hope Chacon, Pamela Miranda, Jillian Miranda and Aayla Sanchez, Sierra Vivanco Mendez, Alyssa Soza, Junior Medina, Crystal Maxcy, Louis Cervantes, Jamie Brittian, Taylor Girard, and Tanya Briones,” Mojado said. “We also had help from Soboba Youth Council, TANF We Lead members and the SJHS Four Directions Club. That’s a long list of incredible people and departments that care so much for our preschool children. We truly appreciate everyone’s support.”
Tickets for Soboba Youth Council’s Bingo Night on June 12 are on sale now at the Soboba Sports Complex for $25 each, which includes dinner and four game cards. Please contact Kaitlyn or Andy at 951-654-1319 with any questions.
Photos courtesy of the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
