By Brandon HENSLEY

Does anyone really need an excuse to throw a Bingo night? Probably not, but for those looking for a good cause, head over to Holy Redeemer Healy Hall on Friday starting at 6 p.m. for the first Community Bingo Night.

Community Bingo Night is an effort to raise money for a new Two Strike Park War Memorial Wall. Cohosted by the Kiwanis Club of Montrose-La Crescenta, the Crescenta-Cañada Rotary and Crescenta Cañada Lions Club, all community members are invited to check in at 6 p.m. with the first game starting at 7 p.m.

The campaign to replace the aging memorial is headed up by the American Legion Post 288 and Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 1614. Mike Baldwin, 20th District Commander of Post 288, said a Bingo night is a good way to show support for the wall.

“It really originated from the Kiwanis [Club],” he said. “They approached us and wanted to assist us with fundraising, and so they suggested orchestrating a bingo night, and we said fine.”

The cost is $10 for two cards for 10 games, a dauber and a raffle ticket, and $5 for each additional two cards for 10 games. Each game carries a prize of $100, which was donated by local businesses. There will be pizza for $2 a slice and beverages for $1.

The War Memorial was built and dedicated in 1959 in memory of every serviceman and woman from the Crescenta Valley who gave their life defending the U.S. The War Memorial committee has plans to “modernize” it, which would include having names added of fallen soldiers from more recent wars.

The committee’s goal is $75,000 to update it and Baldwin said his group is approaching $40,000.

Baldwin offered thanks for the support the effort has received thus far, including a recent donation from Home Depot, which gave $5,000 in gift cards for building materials.

“That’s really a key factor here, having the support of the other community organizations and individuals,” Baldwin said. “We had four or five individuals contribute $100 for the [bingo] games and have had some of the service groups contribute a couple of hundred [dollars] to cover our costs and the prizes, and that means what we sell in tickets all goes to our wall.”

Baldwin sent flyers to American Legion members, which read that if people are not able to attend the Bingo night they could mail in donations. Fellow Legion member Warren Spayth met with the Montrose-Verdugo Chamber of Commerce recently and passed out the same flyers.

“We’re kind of hoping that the [L.A. County] Parks Department will assist us also, and we’re close enough to begin if we can get our plans approved,” Baldwin said. “Once we start the work it won’t take long, I’ve been told. I heard the foundation and the cinder block part of the wall would just be a few weeks to a month [to complete].”

Holy Redeemer Middle School is located at 2361 Del Mar Road at Montrose Ave.

  Brandon Hensley