With the arrival of 2023 and the conclusion of New Year's festivities, many organizations are already looking ahead and filling their schedules for the coming months. Although there are still a few more months of cold left to endure, the Southern End Community Association (SECA) has slated a handful of events and programs to look forward to.

SECA published the schedule for its biweekly Friday night bingo games on Facebook in the beginning of January; upcoming dates include Jan. 27, Feb. 10 and Feb. 24. Doors will open each night at 5 p.m., and bingo will begin at 6 p.m. Snacks such as hot dogs and chips will be available for purchase, as well as soft drinks and other beverages. There will be a set cost depending on the number of boards purchased, and the winning jackpot will be capped at $500. Participants must be 18 years of age or older to play, but children may attend.

Early-bird registration for a SECA pool pass will be open until Tuesday, Jan. 31, after which pool passes will be available to purchase at standard price. Youth flag football registration is also open until Friday, Feb. 17, and the first game will take place on Sunday, March 19. The flag football program is separated into three groups: youngsters ages 5 to 7, children ages 8 to 11 and youths ages 12 to 15. The flag football program is always in need of coaches; those interested in coaching may contact SECA at director@secarec.com.

SECA's men's basketball program will kick off on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Smith Middle School and will continue on Tuesday evenings.

SECA will host its yearly St. Patrick's Day Money Party on Saturday, March 11. Participants in the fundraising event will pay a set price for a ticket; each ticket will then be assigned to a ball in a bingo machine. Once a participant's number is pulled, he or she is eliminated from the game; however, every 10th ticket number called will earn its owner a prize. The owner of the ticket that is pulled last will win the main prize.

Last summer, SECA hosted a free picnic at its pavilion for local veterans and first responders. This summer, SECA director Trevor Marsh plans to host the event at the pool instead. "Last year was the first year that we had the event," Marsh said. "We don't make any money from it; we just wanted to give back to the community and show our appreciation."

To stay up to date on other announcements from SECA, visit https://secarec.com.