Angela Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 17/02) - Sherri Knapton-Pain had no idea she'd come out the big winner in Saturday's $20,000 bingo held at the Yellowknife Community Arena.

"We usually come out once a week for bingo," said Knapton-Pain. "Just to get away from the family, from the kids."

Knapton-Pain, who walked away with $10,000, said this is the first time in her three to four years of playing bingo that she has won such a substantial sum of money. But so far, she has "no plans" for what she's going to use the money for.

Knapton-Pain wasn't Saturday's only winner. The bingo was held as a fundraiser for the Northwest Territories Amateur Softball Association.

Organizer Adrienne Frost said about 297 people turned out for the event.

"We were thrilled at the turnout," she said. When asked what she thought drew people out to bingo, she replied, "I guess the chance to win that kind of money."

Part of the money raised will go to the Master Men's fast-pitch team, which will be heading to a tournament in Moosejaw, Sask., in August. More will go to a series of softball clinics for youth. Forest said 40 per cent of the revenue brought in from bingo events has to go to minor sports.

All prize money was made at the bingo, said Forest. The minimum price to pay to play was $50 for a master card. After that, anyone who wished could buy more cards at an additional cost. Lynn Fowler, another organizer of the event, said there may have been a reason more people didn't turn out for Saturday's bingo.

"There was a Dene Assembly being held in Fort Simpson, so we weren't quite sure what to expect," he said. "A lot of it has to do with advertising."

Fowler said there's more to bingo than just, well, bingo.

"The customers expect service and they expect it to be organized properly," he said.

Fowler said it was great so many people turned out. "It's for amateur softball," he said. "They have a cause. It's one way of making money and fundraising and that's what it's all about."