Football Sundays return to Pine Island Moose Lodge
Are you ready for some football? For members of Pine Island Moose Lodge #1954, the answer is a resounding “yes.” The third year of Football Sundays began Sept. 11.
According to Gov. John Panse, the lodge started the event as a money maker.
“We were slow. We were trying to get something going,” he said.
They now see between 120 and 140 customers on any given Sunday. In addition to Panse, organizers include Chuck Atkins, Tom Davis, Joe Pacey, Steve and Jennifer Welch, and Bud and Dawn Welch.
Proceeds from 50/50 raffles have funded flat screen televisions that ring the bar area and dining room and the cost of the NFL television package. Which game is shown on which of the televisions is a careful decision.
“We usually have the local teams up front,” Panse said.
Buffalo, Green Bay, Chicago and Pittsburgh teams also usually get prominent positions.
“We put Detroit back in the corner,” Panse confided with a laugh.
The Moose kitchen is “slammed” for three hours each week preparing sandwiches, wings, nachos and other typical game time foods.
Football is preceded by Texas Hold ’em at 11 a.m. and followed by Moosehole at 4:30 p.m. on Sundays. If there is a Sunday night game of interest, a television will be tuned in. While the lodge doesn’t feature Monday night football, it does serve “comfort foods” from 5:30 to 7 p.m., perhaps for those whose team didn’t win on Sunday.
For more information about joining the Moose, call 282-0438. Updates about events are now posted on Facebook and Twitter.