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Grand Forks AFB hosts SBE 2015

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez & Senior Airman Zachiah Roberson
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  More than 500 people made their way to the Northern Lights Club here in order to attend Super Base Extravaganza on January 17 and try their luck at bingo for a chance to win a trip for two for Super Bowl XLIX in Arizona.

The 319th Force Support Squadron event, better known as SBE, has been held for nine years on Grand Forks AFB and is the largest of its kind in Air Mobility Command. This year 20 sponsors contributed more than $20,000 in prizes including the biggest of all, two tickets to the Super Bowl with travel and lodging accommodations, which was announced as being valued at more than $13,000.

The extravaganza consisted of 10 games of bingo, interspersed with raffles and drawings for various pieces of sports memorabilia. The winner of each sports prize could either keep the item or "auction" it off.

"I think the heart and soul of the event is the camaraderie built throughout the event, and when people win prizes they are given this amazing power to decide whether or not to auction or keep their winnings," said Julie McWalter, 319th Force Support Squadron director of marketing.

After about five hours' worth of bingo games, raffles and auctions the final bingo game for the Super Bowl grand prize had arrived. The final game was a "blackout" round where players had to fill in every number on their sheet.

"This year we were lucky enough to have a huge NFL fan calling the bingo numbers," said McWalter. "He would call the numbers and relate them to the NFL players who also had the same number in history as well as a string of random facts of the player; it made the night just that much better."

The crowds dispersed throughout the club's ballroom, restaurant and lounge began to get more and quieter with ever number called. Pretty soon all you could hear a few shaking people shaking their feet and murmuring a letter and number like "B5, come on B5."

Then with more than 30 numbers having been called the silence in club was broken as 2nd Lt. Christopher Elworth from the 319th Comptroller Squadron, emphatically yelled bingo and ran to the ballroom, where SBE officials verified the numbers.

"I remember climbing over Senior Airman John Shaw to get out of the booth and then I was going in and out (of the crowd) while they were reading the numbers," said Elworth. "After that, the next thing I remember was giving [319th Air Base Wing Commander] Colonel Bauman a hug."

The event marked the ninth year Grand Forks AFB has hosted SBE, and it certainly won't be the last.

"Planning for SBE starts as soon as the current one ends, and next year will be the 10th anniversary," said McWalter. "We are planning to blow the roof off of next year's event."