Formed in 1996, the World Bunco Association began to take the game into more mainstream popularity for two new generations who had likely forgotten or never heard of the game.
Bunco Babes is the oldest organized Bunco group at Magnolia Point. Glenda Harden began the game in September of 2001. Two other players besides Glenda still play from the early days before 2005: Susie Snow and Marlene Jacobs. Thresa Oliverio mentioned that a few ladies did play as early as the late 1990s but it was Glenda who put together the larger group. Sixteen ladies ‘roll the dice’ the third Thursday of every month. I interviewed a few of them and they reminisced about the old days… like the night of Duke the bartender at Glenda’s Tiki Bar … or the Christmas red lingerie secret gift that continues to get passed around… or the comment to ‘never wear white at Marsha Zupan’s’ because of excessive red wine spillage. This month’s theme was St. Patrick’s Day hosted by Jaci Shields. Susie got the most buncos, Glenda got the most winners, and both got to wear crowns. Jean Costa and I tied for losing and got to wear the plastic shrimp booby prize necklace.
Did you know that one of the perks to playing Bunco is cognitive stimulation that can help keep the mind sharp and alert and can be the best memory exercise? Not sure it’s working on this group yet😊. Can’t say enough about this fun group of ladies who continue to ‘act the maggot’!