Center For Child Protection’s PlayBingo Raises Funds

By Rob Giardinelli         Photography by Christina Murphy and Haley Plotkin

THE SETTING: Pre-COVID-19, Austin’s JW Marriott Hotel was the setting for one of Austin’s most anticipated annual events. Over 1,200 of the Capital City’s most influential female voices gathered at the PlayBingo ladies luncheon for an unforgettable afternoon of fun and fundraising…with a few dazzling prizes thrown in for good measure.

THE STYLE: The welcoming spirit of the event was felt the second guests stepped off of the escalators and into the ballroom foyer, where one could find the crowd delightfully swept up in the spirit of the occasion. While perusing over 140 silent auctions, one could spot quite a few cohesive looks, which was done by design. Most of the tables of 10 dressed thematically in complementary ensembles of white, black, and pastel colors, with several sporting feathers, which gave the event an added punch of fun. The festivities continued in the grand ballroom of the JW Marriott for the main event–bingo. As the games were played, several winners claimed their prizes, capping off the afternoon with a final award, which was a raffle ticket for a car courtesy of Mercedes Benz of Austin.

THE PURPOSE: PlayBingo, put on by the Friends of Christopher Guild, raised over $885,000 for the Center for Child Protection, which is a nationally accredited children’s advocacy center offering services such as forensic interviews, counseling, and medical exams to children who have witnessed violent crimes or are suspected victims of physical or sexual abuse. For the first time ever, the PlayBingo Ladies Luncheon is going virtual. Join them on October 24 for a fabulous afternoon benefiting the Center for Child Protection. Individual and House Party tickets start at $150 and are available, until sold out, through October 1. For more information, visit CenterforChildProtection.org/events.