Maria Canton
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 13/99) - For last Saturday's blackout bingo, the Elk's Hall was alive with wafting cigarette smoke, filtered sunlight and more than 200 people silently lining rows of tables papered with master cards.

An elderly lady called a blase "Bingo" to win $4,000 after 16 minutes of dabbing numbers under letters in wet green ink.

"I've seen a little old lady win $10,000, put it in a brown paper bag and walk out like it was nothing," said Dan Hayward, long-time bingo caller and fund-raiser.

After more than 15 years of calling bingos in Yellowknife, Hayward says he does it because he enjoys giving. And give he has, handing over more than $1 million in prizes and cash.

"I've given away motorhomes, cars, houses, cash," he said.

"I called my first $100,000 bingo about three years ago. People started lining up for that at one in the afternoon and the bingo didn't start until seven in the evening."

He says the players take the game seriously, but unlike casino gambling, bingo players are of a calmer nature. Between each call Hayward waits 14 seconds and the only sound filling the room is the constant tumbling of hollow bingo balls in the wind chamber.

Only his steady, on-air voice breaks the silence.

"Under the B-12.

B-1, 2."

"We have a bingo, bingo has been called," he says smiling.

As for lucky charms, he says people bring rocks, dolls or put pennies on the corners of their cards, just to name a few.

"I like rocks myself," he says.

"I was out in the Nahanni and I brought back quite a few rocks that were really quite nice."

Calling about five bingos a month, Hayward says he likes playing, too, but has probably only played once in the past few years.

"I like watching people win. And I play up here, too, on the main board," he says, noting that his favourite number is B-13.

After the final bingo is called, the players quickly empty the hall, some stopping to ask Hayward what the next number would have been and many stopping to say a goodbye.