Bingo at Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale
On September 17, 2026, I spent one of my favorite evenings of the year playing bingo at Belmont Village Senior Living Fort Lauderdale, where Light Up the Night Bingo raised $4,449.80 for the Alzheimer’s Association. Here is how the night went, from the moment I heard about it to the last blackout card.
How It Started: A Message from My Friend Shelia
It all began when my friend Shelia Bennatt, Sales Director at Belmont Village, told me about the bingo night. The minute I heard “Alzheimer’s fundraiser” and “bingo” in the same sentence, I knew it was perfect for QuickRx Specialty Pharmacy. We are always looking for ways to give back to the communities we serve, and I had a feeling this one would be an easy pitch to the team. It was.
Shelia did more than invite us. She also put together every one of the prize baskets for the night, and you will see below just how much love went into them.
About Light Up the Night Bingo
Light Up the Night Bingo was a fundraiser hosted by Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale, with 100% of proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Association. It was organized by Wigdely Schneider, Memory Program Director at Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale. Bingo cards were $30 each or 4 for $100, and money was also raised through raffles and donations.
The evening ran from 6:00 PM to about 8:30 PM. It was the first Light Up the Night Bingo at Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale, though the community has held many fundraisers for the Alzheimer’s Association over the years and hosts one every year.
Walking Into the Great Room
When I stepped into the Great Room on the 12th floor, it was glowing. Belmont Village had transformed the space with vibrant neon lighting and décor featuring the Alzheimer’s Association logo. Purple was everywhere, every guest got glow sticks to help “light up the night,” and each seat had a cupcake topped with a purple Alzheimer’s Awareness ribbon. About 80 residents, family members, staff and professional partners filled the room, and our oldest player that night was 97 years old.
At the bar, Susan Greene, Dining Room Manager, was serving her signature Purple Rain Martini. Belmont Village catered the whole evening with passed hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and an assortment of desserts. I went straight for the sliders, and Angie, our server, made sure my plate was never empty all night. Thank you, Angie, for keeping me fed.
“The Age We All Wish We Were”
Our caller, Michael Cavo of Dillard’s, donated his time and had a funny line for almost every number. My favorite: every time he called 21, he announced it as “the age we all wished we were.” The first time he said it, one lady leaned over to her friend and said, “Not us. It was exhausting being twenty.” I still laugh thinking about it.
The Luckiest Lady at My Table
I had a blast, and a lot of that was thanks to the lovely lady sitting next to me. Before the first game even started, she told me her secret: “The first winner always wins.” Then the first bingo of the night was called, the first basket went to that same lucky lady, and the whole table burst out laughing. “No way!” “Not her again!” “She’s sooo lucky!” Nobody was really upset. We were all just having too much fun.
The Winners and the Great Basket Trade
Every win got a reaction, but the loudest roars and cheers of the night went to one of the caregivers when she won a basket. You could feel how happy the whole room was for her.
Then came my favorite moment. One lady won the Game Day Grill Master basket, and a gentleman won the Pamper Me basket. They looked at each other, made a trade, and both walked away thrilled with their new prizes. Winners were a mix of residents, family members and staff, and everyone seemed to leave with a smile.
Here is what Shelia packed into each basket:
Game Day Grill Master ($100)
A football centerpiece, NFL Monopoly Deal, football serving trays, the Meat Teacher cookbook, a grilling spice set, a football metal sign and meat claws.
Pamper Me ($100)
A cozy candle, comfy slippers, a pedicure gift card, eye patches, spa hair ties, a face mask and a bottle of wine.
Kindle & Cozy Reading Basket ($100)
An Amazon Kindle, cozy reading socks, a s’mores kit, gourmet hot cocoa and fall coffee mugs.
Date Night In ($100)
A bottle of wine, a $40 streaming gift card, gourmet popcorn and toppings, movie-theater candy, a weighted blanket, a popcorn holder and a $25 DoorDash gift card.
Feeling Lucky? ($100)
$100 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets.
Golden Pumpkin Grand Prize (valued at over $500)
The blackout prize: a metallic pumpkin centerpiece, a Sur La Table Dutch oven, a set of 4 Sur La Table wine glasses, 2 bottles of wine, gourmet soups, a fall serving tray, wood cooking utensils, oven mitts, a fall towel, a candle warmer and candle, pumpkin wafers, gourmet caramels, harvest candy and fall flowers.
Why We Love Belmont Village
One thing I love about Belmont Village is how many events it creates for its residents, and the way the team cares for them is truly remarkable. Belmont Village offers a dedicated memory care program that supports residents through the different stages of cognitive decline. Its Circle of Friends program provides a supportive, engaging environment for residents living with mild dementia, and as the disease progresses, residents move to a smaller environment designed for the needs of people living with moderate to severe dementia.
Daily programming targets six different domains, with the goal of supporting cognitive function, encouraging socialization, and helping residents keep their highest possible level of independence and quality of life.
“Seeing our residents, families and partners laughing together over bingo, all for the Alzheimer’s Association, is exactly why we do this. Every card played tonight helps raise awareness for the millions of people and families living with this disease.”
Wigdely Schneider, Memory Program Director, Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale
Why Alzheimer’s Awareness Matters
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder caused by damage to nerve cells in the brain. It begins with mild memory loss and can lead to the inability to carry on a conversation or carry out daily activities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It affects the person diagnosed and everyone who loves and cares for them. That is the message Belmont Village most wants readers to take away: greater awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and the millions of people and families it affects.
What’s Next: Bringing More Fun to Belmont Village
A night of laughter like this one is more than a good time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes strong evidence that social isolation raises a person’s risk of premature death, and that people living with isolation or loneliness face a higher risk of dementia. Staying connected matters, and a room full of friends sharing a game is one of the simplest ways to do it.
That is why QuickRx wants to keep the fun going. Together with Shelia and the Belmont Village team, we are planning to bring more entertainment to the residents of Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale: more reasons to gather, laugh, and share a table with friends. Stay tuned.
Thank You, Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale
Thank you to Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale for letting us be part of such a sweet night for such an important cause. A special thank you to Shelia Bennatt for inviting us and putting together the prize baskets, Wigdely Schneider for organizing the evening, Executive Director Susan Snyder and the whole Belmont team, Susan Greene for the Purple Rain Martinis, Angie for the best service in the room, and Michael Cavo for calling every number with so much energy and humor. Congratulations to every winner, and thank you to all 80 guests who helped raise $4,449.80 for the Alzheimer’s Association. We can’t wait to come back.
Written by Paola Larrabure, Pharma Content Manager, QuickRx Specialty Pharmacy · Published October 2, 2026
Event details provided by Belmont Village Fort Lauderdale and reviewed by its team before publication. To protect resident privacy, no residents are named or pictured.
