GREEN BAY, WI – The Oneida Nation celebrated 50 years of bingo with a weeklong anniversary celebration Oct. 12–17 at the Irene Moore Activity Center in Green Bay.
Oneida Bingo began in October 1976, when Alma Webster and Sandra Ninham-Brehmer, who worked at the Oneida Civic Center, sought a way to raise money to help keep the Nation’s recreation center open for youth. Funds were needed for building maintenance, insurance and supplies, leading the two women to begin holding bingo games.
That same year, the Cabazon Tribe in California was recognized for its sovereign right to conduct, operate and regulate bingo on its lands. Oneida subsequently began operating high-stakes bingo, which grew from a once-a-week event into an operation running seven days a week with multiple daily sessions. What began as a volunteer-led community initiative eventually created full-time jobs for Oneida workers and expanded into casino operations.
The anniversary celebration culminated Oct. 17 with the 50th Anniversary Bingo Bash at the Irene Moore Activity Center. The event included special recognition of Webster and Ninham-Brehmer for their early efforts in establishing Oneida Bingo and its legacy within the community.
