Bethany Miller, adult advocate with The Factory Ministries, cannot contain her enthusiasm when she talks about the monthly bingo event she organizes for Factory participants. "It's a great opportunity to watch a participant win, yell out, 'Bingo!' and then go up to select from a great array of prizes," said Miller, who added that participants love the event so much, they often line up outside the door before it starts.

Bingo is held monthly at The Factory, 3293 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise. The event is normally held from 1 to 3 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month, but in April, it will be held on Thursday, April 18.

"We typically have 50 to 70 people that come to bingo," noted Miller. "(Participants) are surrounded by people."

Miller explained that bingo helps bolster a participant's relational resources. "We believe there are six primary resources, and we try to walk alongside our participants (to enhance these)," said Miller, who explained that when working with clients, she uses a set of six dominoes to provide a visual explanation. "We use these to explain the primary resources and how they are interconnected," she said, setting up dominoes labeled relational, emotional, financial, spiritual, physical, and intellectual. "I stand them up and explain that when we lose one of these resources, the rest fall down behind them." Miller noted that the members of The Factory advocacy team are tasked with learning which of those resources is lacking and coming alongside the client to rebuild. "When we bolster one, the rest tend to be bolstered behind it," she pointed out.

Bingo, which Miller believes has been held at The Factory for more than three years, has been successful in helping participants to build relational resources. "Some (participants) have started to come as a group and bring their own snacks," she noted, adding that many of the participants are socially isolated. "Bingo gives them an opportunity to meet other people and leave their homes (for a while)."

Miller continued, "Meeting with people and forming relationships is very powerful and can help an individual in a lot of ways."

In addition to meeting with other participants, Miller lines up representatives of local organizations to make presentations. "We try to have at least one community service provider there to talk about the services that they offer," she said, adding that the Naaman Center; Oak Street Health, located in the city of Lancaster; and Crisis Intervention have all had representatives in attendance. Miller noted that Jesse Bills, pastor of Pequea Evangelical Congregational (E.C.) Church, is often there to help out.

According to Miller, volunteers, including individuals and groups of employees from area businesses, are needed to help set up and hold the monthly events. "I am always in need of help running bingo," said Miller.

Small, new prize items in the $10 to $15 value range are also sought. "All our prizes come from donations by individuals in the community," said Miller, who mentioned that gift cards, coloring books for adults, markers, home decor, items for pets, and kitchen items are good prizes.

According to Miller, the program has encouraged positive results in participants. "They really look forward to it," she said. "They call to make sure they have the date right, and they invite friends and family." Miller has been thrilled to see the program so well received. "I love that people enjoy and feel safe coming to bingo," she said. "It's a joy to have people there."

Readers who have questions about bingo at The Factory may email bethany@thefactoryministries.com or call 717-847-6739.