Residents of the Palmer House have lost their beloved bingo game, but they won't give it up without a fight.

"This is the way we socialize, we tease each other, we laugh. If you win, that's fine, if you don't, you're still having a good time because you're among friends. I miss it. We haven't played all year," said Dolores Matrician, resident at the senior home in Palmerton.Resident Karen Kuntzman, who is leading a movement to get bingo back, said that the tenants were surprised to find that one of their favorite pastimes had been suspended earlier this year."The office lady was given a letter that said we were no longer allowed to play bingo. It came from the state gaming commission," Kuntzman said.Kuntzman said that the trouble started after an incident at another Carbon County Housing Authority site with a resident during a bingo game. Dave Godin, a resident at Palmer House, had formerly lived at that location with his wife."The person in charge of bingo up there told one person that they were not allowed to come to bingo anymore, because she was using foul language," Godin said. "She said, 'If I'm not allowed to play bingo, nobody's going to play,' and she reported them to the state gaming commission. That put the kibosh to it."County Commissioner Bill O'Gurek said that the strict enforcement of rules and regulations for bingo were likely in place to prevent any potential problems with federal funding for housing. He also said that the Carbon County Housing Authority had been informed of complaints filed with the state regarding bingo games.As a former treasury office worker, Kuntzman knew that the house would have to obtain a permit in order to reinstate bingo. She contacted O'Gurek and treasurer Ron Sheehan, who assisted her with the process. However, Sheehan ended up denying the application, citing "the circumstances that prompted this application," and a consultation with District Attorney Jean A. Engler.Both Sheehan and Engler felt that the Palmer House residents should create a nonprofit association and file required paperwork, and then establish a leasing agreement with the Carbon County Housing Authority for use of a playing area.Kuntzman said that the seniors had, in fact, created an association - The Old Timer's Bingo Association - and that she provided information on the group to the treasurer's office. However, due to a lack of official articles of incorporation and certification as a nonprofit group, The Old Timer's Bingo Association could not get a license."They were basically turned down for the bingo license because they are not incorporated as a nonprofit organization, which is required by the state," Sheehan said. "They have no articles of incorporation, no bylaws, and no IRS determination letter stating that they are a 501c3 nonprofit organization."While they are eligible to obtain a special permit "to conduct bingo for entertainment," Kuntzman and her fellow tenants argue that the process of obtaining articles of incorporation and a leasing agreement are unfair, especially for a group of people who would just like to play a few rounds of low-payout bingo. The meager profits from the games are used to fund picnics and Christmas parties for the residents."The request for us to get articles of incorporation is insane," Kuntzman said in a written statement. "We are all senior citizens ranging from 62 all the way up to 100. I moved into this building a little over two years ago, and we have lost four or five people since then. These residents are in the final years of their lives."She said the leasing agreement with the Carbon County Housing Authority was nonsensical, as the common area where residents play bingo is covered by rental fees. Unfortunately, these procedures are dictated by the state, and have little to no room for compromise.Paula Fougeray, executive director of Carbon County Housing Authority, said that she is willing to work with the The Old Timer's Bingo Association, but that they need to be certified as a nonprofit before they can enter into a leasing agreement."The last time I spoke to Karen, the application for their permit was denied by the county treasurer," Fougeray said. "We can't do anything until they get this permit. We are ready to go. We have a lease agreement that is ready to sign."Residents are left to wonder why there are so many stipulations for friendly games of bingo that rarely pay out prizes of more than $95 total for an evening."The only thing we are requesting - this is the only thing, we're not going to start a war or a revolution or anything like that - is just a permit," resident Barbara Rehrig said. "We cannot understand why we can't qualify for this permit. If we can't qualify, who can qualify?"Kuntzman said that a recommendation to hire an attorney for the incorporation was clearly not a viable option for the group."We are senior citizens living on fixed incomes living in a subsidized housing building. We cannot afford attorney fees," she said.Nevertheless, Kuntzman said that she will continue to fight to bring bingo back by spreading the word on the plight of Palmer House senior citizens. For now, though, residents will have to go without their bi-weekly games."When we moved in, we started to play, and my wife and I got to know everybody. Every other Wednesday we played, twice a month, and you start to look forward to that. It gets you out of your apartment for a couple of hours, it gets you to mingle with your friends, and all of the sudden it's taken from you. It's like a rug being torn out from under you, and you're sitting here doing this," Godin said as he twiddled his thumbs.