Panola College Foundation raises $65,000 at Designer Purse Bingo

The Panola College Foundation hosted its annual Designer Purse Bingo fundraising event on Friday, March 25, at the Carthage Civic Center, attracting approximately 600 guests and raising over $65,000 for student scholarships and program grants.

“This event helps ensure that we are able to increase the amount of scholarships and grants that the Foundation provides to students each year,” said Jessica Pace, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Panola College. “It is great to see the community come out and support students while having a good time.”

Don Clinton, Vice President of Student Services at Panola College, entertained the audience as the emcee for the fundraiser, thanking sponsors and calling out the anticipated bingo numbers throughout the evening.

Each guest took home a tote bag provided by Young Energy Services of Carthage. Sanford & Sons sponsored centerpieces for each table, which were available for purchase following the event. Pippen Motor Company and Rural Water Services sponsored koozies, and Razor Services sponsored skinny koozies for the evening. Back by popular demand was a signature drink available for purchase brought to guests by Simply Beautiful Salon. Sodexo sponsored charcuterie boxes for each guest and Hospitality ER provided meals and gift bags to the volunteers.

First State Bank & Trust Company and UT Health East Texas sponsored the bonus games for the event, which allowed guests the chance to carry home a couture Louis Vuitton bag.

Bingo purses included 24 different designs, including brands such as Coach, Kate Spade, and Michael Kors. Game sponsors included AshRoq Financial, Carthage Economic Development Corporation, Carthage Furniture, Edwards Jones by Vicky Hudson, Elliot Dodge of Carthage, Farmers State Bank, Hal's AC & Electrical, Loutex, Palmetto Services, Rancho Grande, VeraBank, and Winkler Place.

A popular ring raffle which gave guests the opportunity to win a variety of prizes, including designer purses, took place during the middle of the event. Raffle sponsors included Cyclone Rentals, Farmers State Bank, General Shelters of Texas, Hal's AC & Electrical, Holiday Inn Center, Martin Lake Power Plant – Luminant, Tyson Foods, and Republic National Distributing Company.

The Panola College Foundation would like to thank each person who attended the event, including each of the sponsors. Designer Purse Bingo would not be possible without the volunteers who spent hours preparing and setting up the event.

In 2023, Designer Purse Bingo will be held at the Carthage Civic Center on March 31.