Promoting its charitable event as a “fun girls night out,” the Knights of Columbus Council 1056 collected $4,000 for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) Ohio chapter.
According to organizers, the event — Designer Purse Bingo for Charity — was held at the Scioto Reserve Country Club on Nov. 9, 2018. The organization said since starting the event in 2016, the success has allowed it to donate proceeds to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Honor Flight of Columbus, and the Green Beret Foundation.
According to David Ayscue III, a past grand knight of the council, the charities are selected based on the Knights of Columbus’ four main principles of charity, brotherhood, fraternity and patriotism.
“The Knights of Columbus universal charity is to support the mentally disabled and mentally challenged,” he said. “The council saw this as an opportunity to support that effort. This includes the increased suicide rates among younger people.”
Ayscue said many of the purses for the event were designed by the late Kate Spade, who passed away June 5, 2018, as the result of suicide.
Ayscue added that during the event, AFSP Ohio Area Director Bill Hesse, described the efforts of the AFSP and how it works to help reduce suicide through education in the public and schools, as well as providing resources for school counselors and other mental health professionals. He also told the group of efforts to publicize depression awareness to reduce the stigma of depression and the treatment of it.
Ayscue said the event, which was likewise open to men, was a traditional game of Bingo where contestants participated to win 20 different designer purses with a drawing held to win two additional pursues.
“The council considers this its biggest success yet,” Ayscue said. “Moms, daughters, nieces, and grandmothers all came out together for the event.”
