Welcome to Tornadoes Bingo 

Tornadoes Bingo is held at the Fairfield Youth Foundation Bingo Center at 2475 N. Texas Street in Fairfield.  Being on the bingo list means we will be expecting you to sell pull-tabs for us on your designated nights.  Come expecting to caddy on the bingo floor.  Some of us start setting up as early as 3:00 or 3:30 (Darla starts around 1:00).  Many players begin showing up around 3:30 or 4:00.  Please arrive as early as your schedule allows and help us get an early start on pull-tab sales.  We make a large amount of money between the hours of 5:00 and 7:00 when bingo actually begins.  Pull-tab sales are our largest moneymaker and the more caddies we have moving around through the rooms the more money we make.

Caddy Instructions  

1.  Sign in as soon as you arrive!  Then put your name on the tape on a supplies box. 

2. The dollar amount for your box of supplies has been recorded prior to your arrival.  The pull-tabs are bundled in 50's and are arranged in denominational order in your box.   

3.  To load your caddy it is best to place two bundles of each kind of tab in slots going from smallest to largest denominations.  Many of us place the $.25, 3/$ ,and $.50 tabs on one side (facing out) and the and $1 tabs on the other side (facing out).  Only unbundle one of each type at a time, as you will need to recount and bundle all unsold pull-tabs at the end of the evening.  Flashboards are not in your box of supplies.  They are given out separately.  Flash must never be placed in your pockets or supplies box.  We must know when they are gone so we can play them with a bingo game. 

4.  Pull-tabs are similar to lottery tickets.  The players tear open the backs of the tickets and look to see if they are winners.  You do not need to read the symbols.  All of our pull-tabs have the amount won listed on the back.  If there is no amount listed, they did not win.  When they have winners they will usually want them replaced with the dollar value of the same type of pull-tab.  If it is a big winner they will usually want money.  Otherwise, they want to keep playing trying to get the “big one”.  Replace their winners with the pullt-abs of their choice and then keep the winners in your pockets.  As you get bulky amounts of winners, bundle them with a rubber-band, label the bundle with your name (with a black marker), and deposit them in the “winners” box at the pull-tab station. They will be totaled later by other workers. 

5.  As you sell pull-tabs and collect money be sure to turn in large bills as you pass by the pull-tab station.  We need these large bills to pay out our big winners and the flashboard games.  Wait for confirmation of the amount turned in before you leave the station.  When on the floor be sure to keep your money as organized as possible so that it doesn't fall out as you make change.  Also turn in large bundles of winners so that we may keep up with the counting and not have it all to do at the end of the night.  

6.  You will circulate the floor and try to be sure no one is left unaided.  Sometimes players will want you to stay just with them but it is best to keep circulating.  Remind players that others also need your help.  We need caddies in all areas of the room so be aware of spacing.  Don't hang out by the walls.  As players daub they leave winners on their table face up for replacement.  As you pass by you may be able to replace them and thereby increase our volume of business.  Quietly check with the players first.  

7.  As you sell, most players will want their winners replaced with tabs of the same type.  For $20 or larger winners please bring them to the pull-tab station for payment and then deliver the $ to the lucky winner. Always count the money out to the winner and be sure they agree it is all there before you leave them.  If it is terribly hectic and you have enough cash you may pay the winner, punch it so we can still see the dollar value of the prize, and put it in your money pocket to be turned in as money when you next pass the pull-tab station. 

8.  If a player asks for delivery of a recycle bag or other item, either assist them yourself (quickly) or get someone less busy to help them.  Our bingo night is noted for our friendly and helpful workers.  Please hustle and continue the tradition. 

9.  Breaks may be taken as needed remembering that we need as many caddies as possible on the floor at all times.  Snack breaks are taken in the order of arrival to bingo.  Caddy breaks may not be taken during breaks in the program. This is when pull-tab sales are highest.  There should never be more than two caddies on break at the same time.  Breaks should last about 10 minutes.  If you are going on break, sell your flashboards or make sure that whoever is at the pull-tab station is aware that they are in your caddy.  Leave your apron and caddy in your box when going on break or to the restroom. 

10.  Close to the end of the evening you will be asked to come in and cash out (we also do this in the order caddies arrived).  At this time you will bundle your winners and deposit them in the “box” and then count your money and turn it in.  After this, count the partial amounts left in your caddy.  Count, rubber band and label each type of pull-tab with the number remaining and leave them in your caddy with your name attached on a post-it.  It can get hectic at the end so don't leave anything of yours sitting out or we may not know who to credit.   Never leave unsold flashboards in your box.  All flashboards must be sold before any caddies can come off the floor!!!  

11.  After bingo has ended we clean up.  All paper sacks with pull-tabs and paper only (no food trash) are emptied into the big green recycling bins. These are then emptied into the small “paper and cardboard” recycling dumpsters outside the back door of the smoking room, space permitting.  After emptying, the green bins are returned to inside against the walls where they were found.  The trash bags are all consolidated and taken out to the very large dumpster behind all the C-trains  Be sure the dumpster is open before throwing the trash on top.  Never stack trash so high that we can’t get the dumpster closed at the end of the night.  They will not empty it if it is all stacked up.  If it is completely full put all trash into large black trash bags, (found in the first closet inside the kitchen) tie them shut and put them at the end of the C-trains out of the way of the garbage truck.  Next we wash all tables and put up all the chairs and trash bins.  When all of this is accomplished, the ash trays have been washed and dried, all pull-tabs are tallied up, supplies are put away, bingo boards are turned off, all fans except one are turned off in the smoking room, the front room is cleaned up (paper put away and cardboard recycled) some of us go to Applebee’s for dinner, drinks and/or socializing! Everyone is welcome to attend.  

Please remember that the volunteers who help on a weekly basis are left in an incredibly difficult position if you do not show up and do not send a replacement on your scheduled night.  There is a complete list of bingo workers' phone numbers on the back of your bingo schedule to help you find replacements.  These volunteers do the shopping, the ordering, the setting up of pull-tabs, callers supplies, paper sales, power bingo machines.  They also sell paper to the players, distribute flash and other pull-tabs, call the bingo games, make the payouts, sell specials, verify bingos, count the used pull-tabs, deal with the complaints, do all the accounting and monthly bingo reports, do the banking, the scheduling, wash the ashtrays, and do the final building check at the end of each night.  This requires all of their attention and they cannot perform the caddy job also.  Our bingo customers become very indignant when there is inadequate staffing to meet their needs.  Please help us help your daughters by faithfully participating at bingo.                                                                                        

                                                                                                                         THANKS!!!!

To play or request information, please e-mail here California Tornadoes