When Valerie Levi of Elsipogtog First Nation noticed that there weren’t any resources in place to help the upcoming high school graduates pay for school-related expenses, she decided to hold a 50/50 fundraiser.
It eventually developed into a bingo to raise money for school and graduation expenses. By volunteering at the weekly bingo, students earn money which is paid out at the end of the school year to help offset costs ranging from prom dresses all the way to graduation photos.
Trinity Sanipass, a past graduate who took part in the fundraiser, explained that she enjoyed going to the grad bingo every week because “it was really fun, and it was something to look forward to every week.”
It was also a chance to get out of the house and hang out with friends, “and it was also really fun joining the Elders while they played bingo.”
Sanipass put her grad money towards her prom dress, grad photos, and decorations for her graduation party. The photos alone were about $400, including tax. The money also allowed her to buy school supplies when she started university.
She felt “super grateful” that her mom got her involved in the grad bingo program. She usually worked in the canteen and sold bingo tickets in the front.
“I did a little bit of everything,” she said. The hardest job was answering calls from people who participated in the bingo by phone.
“Because number one, people are speaking Mi’kmaq to me and I don’t know how to speak Mi’kmaq. Number two, I can’t understand them over the phone. Number three, they’re getting mad at me because I don’t speak Mi’kmaq and/or understand them.”
Zoey Milliea, who is part of the class of 2024, said bingo can sometimes be stressful but that overall it’s a positive experience. “My anxiety can get bad at times, especially when it’s rushed,” Milliea said. “But other than that, it’s pretty good to be working with people who are graduating from your reserve, and getting close with them at times.”
Milliea’s jobs have included working in the canteen, selling cards, and cleaning up after bingo. She said the program is “very helpful” and suggested that even students from beyond the community should take part.”I feel like everyone from our school that’s graduating should do this,” she said.
Valerie Levi said she started thinking about launching the fundraiser around 2014 or 2015. She had seen a few graduates struggling with money and wanted to do something about it.
When she launched the first grad bingo in 2016, it didn’t bring in a lot of money, but it has grown over the years to reach $60,000 by 2023. “It always depends on how much we’re doing bingos or other activities,” she said, noting that there’s also a 50/50 draw these days. “So that helps also.”
The program teaches young people to be responsible, helping them “to get ready for when they go out into the big world,” she said. “What I really love about it is that I know the grads made it, that they graduated,” Levi said. “They get to go to the next step they have for their future.”
“It’ll be here for a while,” she added. “I just tell myself that I hope I’m still here when my grandkids graduate.”
Brandon Levi is a St. Thomas University student and a member of the Elsipogtog First Nation. He wrote this article as part of JOUR 2033, Local Reporting, Global Media, in St. Thomas University’s Aotiitj program in Elsipogtog.