The sold-out Panola College Foundation Spring 2020 Designer Purse Bingo has been canceled because of the coronavirus. Because of the uncertainty in the current environment, and to follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, it is with great regret that the Panola College Foundation announces the cancellation of their 2020 Designer Purse Bingo fundraisers.

As the major fundraising event for the Panola College Foundation, Designer Purse Bingo has brought in money to support multiple scholarships and program grants for the College. The loss of this funding will be a hard hit for the College’s scholarship and grant program. Because of the success of this fundraiser in the past, the Foundation has been able to step up a truly serve Panola College students’ needs during this time. The Foundation created a COVID-19 emergency relief fund and has already devoted $30,000 to direct support to our students. Just this month the Foundation has been able to assist almost 75 students with emergency grants. 

 

“We like to express our sincere thank you to all of our past sponsors and attendees who helped make it possible for the Foundation to provide these emergency relief grants to our students,” said Dr. John Ray, Panola College Foundation Chair.

 

“We are offering full refunds to our sponsors and ticket holders. We recognize that some of our sponsors are small business owners who may need the refund in this critical time and we want to support our community as they have supported us,” said Jessica Pace, Director of Institutional Advancement. “Although we won’t be able to gather our sold-out crowd of 600 in the Carthage Civic Center, we’re planning a fun mail-out as a “non-event” fundraiser. I’m already hearing from sponsors and individuals who say they want to contribute their Bingo sponsorships and ticket costs as 2020 donations to the Panola College Foundation, so we want to let them know how much we appreciate this gesture of support.”

 

Pace said refunds will be returned through the original payment method, by credit card or check. Sponsors and ticket purchasers who wish to convert their purchases to a tax-deductible donation to the Panola College Foundation may send a message to Foundation@panola.edu.

 

“Anyone who has ever attended Panola’s Designer Purse Bingo knows it would be impossible to maintain ‘social distancing’ when we have a packed house at the Carthage Civic Center. The event has always been so much fun and has been an awesome way to support the college and allow our citizens to meet our students who helped out with Bingo. Yes, it’s sad to have to cancel, but we look forward to the day when we can once again gather safely together, celebrate Panola College, and yell ‘BINGO’,” said Pace.