Swift Middle School PTO will host a designer purse bingo fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 24, in the cafeteria of the school, located at 1866 Robert Fulton Highway, Quarryville. Doors will open at 11 a.m., and the first game of bingo will commence at 1 p.m.

A limited number of tickets are available to be purchased in advance, and any remaining tickets will be sold at the door. Tickets may be acquired at Swift Middle School or online at http://tinyurl.com/swiftbingo until Thursday, Feb. 22. In the event of inclement weather, the date of the fundraiser will be moved to Saturday, March 2.

The event will include 20 standard rounds of bingo. Tickets will also be available to purchase for three special games and a blackout round, during which players must completely fill out their bingo cards to win a prize. Refreshments will be sold at a concession stand, operated by members of the student senate and pride ambassadors at Swift Middle School. Throughout the day, attendees will have an opportunity to participate in prize drawings for a variety of items that have been donated by local businesses and families in Solanco School District.

This is Swift PTO's first year organizing a bingo fundraiser. Previously, the organization relied on the annual Race for Education event and a joint 5K with students from Smith Middle School. Susan Dawson, a teacher at Swift Middle School, suggested bingo as an additional format to raise money after she observed the success of a similar event that her sister organized to benefit a lacrosse team.

The proceeds from the bingo fundraiser will aid Swift PTO in its mission to provide students from sixth to eighth grades with educational experiences at school and beyond the classroom. In the past, the group has used its funds to pay for guest speakers at Swift Middle School, field trips and student incentives such as a basketball game between eighth-graders and faculty members.

"We try to bring different things to each grade level to offer students new experiences outside of a normal school day," said Swift PTO president Katina Martin. "It's a group effort between PTO officers, the principal, school staff, students and families. It takes all hands on deck to make this a success for the students."