The game of bingo was unveiled at a carnival in 1929. The setting was not much different on Saturday when the Copperas Cove Five Hills royalty introduced bingo at the annual Rabbit Fest to benefit research to find a cure for Alzheimerâs disease and dementia in senior citizens.
Young Miss Five Hills Emily Kimball hosted the games of bingo in honor of Grandma Tru who has suffered with Alzheimerâs disease for more than five years and no longer recognizes her teenage granddaughter.
âWe raised money and awareness for Alzheimerâs and dementia research to help fight a disease that not only affects my family, but many others too,â Kimball said. âAbsolutely, I did want to raise money for my chosen cause. But this is also about providing a service to our community and supporting the Rabbit Fest.â
Former Preteen Miss Five Hills Romella Spitzer, a Williams/Ledger Elementary fourth grader, sits beside her sister, Samantha, as they create artwork together. It is one of the activities that help keep Samantha calm. This inspired Spitzer to apply and receive a $1,500 grant from the Fort Hood Area Thrift Shop to assist Copperas Cove ISD in creating sensory classrooms in every elementary school.
âIn addition to assisting students with their education and helping them learn life skills so that they can be independent as adults, sensory classroom equipment also helps students who are struggling with their emotions like when their parents are deployed,â Spitzer said. âIt allows them to cope and be mentally and emotionally prepared to learn in the classroom and ultimately become productive adults in society.â