The Family & Consumer Sciences Agent in Menifee County conducted the Bingocize nutrition-focused program with participants at the senior center during the summer of 2021. During each week of the 10-week course participants gathered at the Menifee Farmer’s Market Pavilion or the Frenchburg Senior Center to participate in the Bingo-exercise program. Each participant was provided a bingo card, bingo chips, a resistance band and a stress ball. The FCS agent would conduct the game of Bingo with the seniors, while incorporating age and fitness-level appropriate exercises in between bingo calls. For example, the agent would lead the group in a series of three or four exercises for 30 seconds to 1 minute each. This would be followed by three to four bingo calls as well as a nutrition question relevant to the nutrition topic of the day. The bingo calls and nutrition question would allow time for participants to rest, grab a drink of water and catch their breath before the next series of exercises.

At the end of each session door prizes were given away to those who scored a “Bingo” on their card. At the final session, all participants received a stress ball so that they could continue some of their exercises at home. All participants stated through a written survey that they learned exercises which they can replicate at home and that they felt stronger, more flexible, or more balanced because of the program. One hundred percent of participants also stated that they planned on implementing the nutrition practices discussed and 92% agreed that they learned healthy eating practices they were not previously aware of from the Bingocize curriculum.