After months of planning, Sue Jarmovitch's dream of bringing live TV Bingo to Elliot Lake each Sunday night is about to be realized.
She has been the driving force behind a plan to produce a local TV charity bingo broadcast each week in the city. Sunday July 28 at 6 p.m. is the first such game.
Bingo cards for the one-time inaugural show have been on sale for several weeks at a number of local retail locations.
It's a one time event at the Royal Canadian Legion branch downtown which will be shown live on Eastlink's Community Channel 10. This broadcast is a fundraising promotion for the hoped-for charity TV Bingo program which would follow the city's funding approval.
Next Monday afternoon at Elliot Lake City Council, Councillors will consider a recommendation that Elliot Lake provide $8,000 in startup money for the program. The plan is for the regular broadcasts to begin later this year, and to originate from the ELNOS Building downtown.
Elliot Lake CAO Daniel Gagnon recommends that $3,500 of the suggested city startup money would come from the community grant policy operating budget and the other $4,500 from the working funds reserve.
"Over the past few months, Ms. Jarmovitch has secured some fundraising ... and a host location: ELNOS building third floor boardroom 31 Nova Scotia Walk," Gagnon told council in a report.
Elliot Lake City Council members received the report at a rare 5:30 p.m. Monday afternoon city special council meeting.
He said that total setup costs are $24,000 including $8,000 for computer, software, cell phone and special printed cards. Another $16,000 is required for fibre optic cable installation and related equipment in the ELNOS building.
According to the report from Mr Gagnon, the proposed funding to get the TV Charity Bingo broadcasts started is $8,000 from donations, $8,000 from ELNOS and $8,000 from the city.
Gagnon said he has received assurances from ELNOS General Manager William Elliott.
"TV Bingo can be hosted in their large boardroom every Sunday evening as needed," Gagnon said. "There are no other immediate needs or benefits from the fibre optic cabling of the boardroom other than to support the TV / Eastlink feed."
There are 15 local charities participating in the Elliot Lake Bingo Association program.