Tombola

Had you been a fly on the wall in our rented facility here in Ancona tonight (aka La Via), you would have witnessed the Italian game reminiscent of an illiterate version of Bingo. I honestly can't tell you who won because it was so crazy. Two pre-teen boys drew numbers at the kitchen counter and yelled them out while I repeated them on the microphone to the crowd of 34 kids and adults who checked their cards, ran up to the counter, yelled over the noise, complained because their numbers weren' t being drawn, and talked on their phones. This is tombola. Anna handed out the dollar-store prizes to the winners (literally 99 euro cent store prizes, which according to today's exchange rate is $1.29). Delicious snacks (it was BYODS), crazy games, a Nintendo projected on the wall and lots of socializing - it was crazy, but fun. We were able to interact with a few families from Jacob's class with whom we have never had the chance to before. It was also the most family-oriented party we had been a part of.

Unlike most we had been to, this was not a birthday party - just a class get-together. They had hoped to host it at a sports complex but since it was booked, I offered the use of our office/facility and they were delighted. I believe it was a very positive step into several people's lives and am glad for the opportunity to have this place used like this.

We keep going, taking a day at a time, making the most of every opportunity. Tomorrow night is our monthly Encounter featuring Carlo and the band (the theme is Valentine Blues). We're expecting quite a turnout. We'll keep you posted - wish you could be a fly on the wall tomorrow night!