PHOTOS PROVIDED Shown are the Penns Valley Majorettes.

CENTRE HALL — At its March 6 Bingo, Centre Hall Fire Company and Bingo players gave back to their community by showing their support to several students in the Penns Valley School District who are looking forward to competing in the Tournament of Bands Championships.

During 2026, the fire company has been selecting a “bonus organization” each month to help raise funds for during their First Friday of the Month Bingos.

The fire company selected the Penns Valley Indoor Majorettes and Color Guard as the March recipients of the proceeds generated from the basket raffle table. CHFC also donated $2 from every Early Bird Bingo packet that was sold to the respective squads.

A record number of 130 Bingo players turned out to show their support by purchasing not only Early Bird packets, but also buying tickets for the numerous baskets and prizes donated by the majorettes and color guard members and their families that were being raffled off that evening. Proceeds from the Early Birds and the raffle table garnered $1,500.

Centre Hall Fire Company members also made a generous donation in the amount of $1,000 to honor the dedication and accomplishments of one of their junior fire company members, Abby Tice, and to support the majorettes and color guard students. Abby is a member of the majorette squad and is currently a senior at Penns Valley High School.

Altogether, a total of $2,500 was raised to help these Penns Valley performers with their expenses in attending the Tournament of Bands Indoor Championships in Wildwood, N.J., set to take place April 30-May 3. The Atlantic Coast Championships will feature 200 competitive scholastic and independent units from nine states in the mid-Atlantic region, with performers of all ages, as they compete in color guard, percussion ensemble, dance team, twirling, jazz band and marching winds.

Centre Hall Fire Company’s next First Friday of the Month Bingo will be held on April 3 and will help raise funds for two “bonus organizations” — the Centre Hall Area Branch Library’s Summer Reading Program and also Special Olympics. The fire company will be donating $2 from every Early Bird packet sold as well as all the proceeds from the basket raffle to these two groups.

The fire company would love to see more folks come out and support the two bonus organizations as well as the fire company. In addition to the Bingo there are also rip tickets and the kitchen will be open with wonderful food prepared fresh by the many dedicated volunteers who help each month during the Bingos.

Doors of the fire station open at 5:30 p.m. and Early Bird Bingo starts at 6:30 p.m., followed by regular Bingo at 7 p.m.