"Cause the house always wins. Play long enough, you never change the stakes. The house takes you." Danny Ocean's wise words may have been true for the aggressive Las Vegas strip, but fortunately his words do not ring true for "Casino Night," McGlinn's signature event. Proceeds collected at the event, which takes place Saturday at 10 p.m., will benefit a local charity.
The lovely ladies of McGlinn have been planning this event since October, and Hall President Amanda Bremer "thinks it will be the best Casino Night yet." All proceeds from this year's event will go to St. Adalbert's School in South Bend. McGlinn chose this organization because every Monday through Friday, girls tutor at the after-school program there, so, according to Bremer, the donation "has more meaning than just raising money for a charity." The donation is a great way to see improvement in a place where the girls are already trying to make a difference.
St Adalbert's is a Notre Dame Magnificat School and is therefore already closely tied to the University. The money raised will help provide services to the school located just minutes from campus. Every donation helps improve the school, thereby helping out every child who attends.
For those who have never attended a Casino Night before, the event is a mix of dancing and poker. At 10 p.m., McGlinn girls will be dealing blackjack at a number of tables in one end of South Dining Hall. At 10:30 p.m., a Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament will begin. In order to make sure you get a seat, it is recommended to arrive about 20 minutes prior to the start. The top two finishers will receive iPods as prizes.
The Shamrocks have worked hard this year to make improvements from last year's Night. Due to high demand, they have expanded the poker tournament. Also, for the first time, roulette wheels will be spinning the whole evening for a little extra gambling fun. In order to quench the thirst of all the high rollers, the girls will be offering mock-tails, tried and tested by the Hall Council.
For those not as interested in poker and gambling, there will also be a dance floor. A DJ will be spinning today's greatest hits, so get ready to bump and grind to "Down" by Jay Sean or bust out Beyoncé's moves from "Single Ladies." Also, watch out for intermittent classics such as "YMCA" or "Cha Cha Slide."
If your excellent dancing skills tire you out and you need a quick breather, food will be provided as the perfect pick-me-up for a tiring dancer or Hold'Em player. Furthermore, all the food will go great with the delicious mock-tails being served.
And if poker, roulette or blackjack are not really skills or hobbies of yours, but you still want to bring home a prize, there will be plenty of raffles to enter. Prizes range from gift cards to Target or Chipotle, to gift baskets from South Bend Chocolate Company, movies and even a Nintendo Wii.
Tickets to this exciting and entertaining evening are still on sale. At both dining halls tonight, McGlinn girls will sell tickets for $5 each. And for those indecisive folks, tickets will still be available at the door at the same price.
So get gussied up in your best mock-tail party attire, remember to bring your good luck charm, whatever it may be, and the lovely ladies of McGlinn will see you at South Dining Hall tomorrow night for a night of big bets and bumping beats.
Contact Mary Claire O'Donnell at modonne5@nd.edu
