With a plaque and some cupcakes, David Hoddy’s farewell among Iola’s bingo enthusiasts turned a bit emotional last week.
“I almost cried,” Hoddy said Sunday, as he reflected on his 41-year service to Iola’s American Legion post as a fixture at the twice-weekly weekly bingo games.
Hoddy, 68, is retiring this month as a volunteer, the last six years as bingo chair.
The plaque was presented by Legionnaires at their meeting Tuesday. The cupcakes were presented at Sunday’s bingo games, where Hoddy helped out with the proceedings.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed it, especially getting to know the people.”
Hoddy began volunteering at the bingo games in 1971, serving in a variety of roles, including number and letter caller for several years.
“I just thought it’d be interesting,” said Hoddy, a lifetime Legionnaire.
Without fail, he would be at the Legion post home each Friday and Sunday evenings to greet the local bingo players.
With the exception of a brief spell in which he underwent a triple bypass surgery in Wichita several years ago, Hoddy never missed a bingo session.
He decided to retire, in part, due to stress.
“People take their bingo seriously,” he said, “and it was starting to wear on my heart, so I knew it was time to stop.”
Since his retirement earlier this month, Hoddy already has taken advantage of his spare time.
He and wife, Sue, spent a weekend at a local casino, trying their luck on other games of chance.
He plans to still help out when needed, if for no other reason to stay in touch with old friends.
“We’ve got good people working here now,” he said, pointing to the Legion’s new bingo chair, Iolan Durenda Frye. She’s assisted by Don Northcut, Jim Frye and Harold McAdams.
“I’m sure I’m going to miss it,” Hoddy said.
