Irvine : Bingo Boosters Try to Lift Smoking Ban

High school bingo boosters, fearful of losing Irvine Unified School District’s most profitable fund-raiser for their music programs, are pushing to lift an impending ban on after-hours smoking at public schools.

Peggy Stalter, vice president of the Irvine High School Instrumental Music Boosters, said U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has shown interest in amending the federal law that goes into effect Dec. 26. The law will ban smoking at all public schools, public libraries and child-care facilities. Feinstein’s representatives could not be reached for comment.

Irvine High School raised $33,000 from bingo last year for music programs. The district’s three high schools earned a total of $60,000 from the games held Wednesday and Saturday nights at Rancho San Joaquin Middle School in Irvine. Surveys have indicated that most players will not attend nonsmoking games.

“This will put an end to our valuable fund-raiser,” Stalter said. “It would take a lot of carwashes and bake sales to make $60,000.”

In Orange County, public schools earn $2.5 million a year from bingo, according to Stalter, who has met with booster groups from other districts. Because of the high cost of leasing alternate space, Stalter said most bingo operators are hoping to amend the federal law.

Music boosters asked the school board this week to pass a resolution in support of amending the no-smoking law. But school board President Mike Regele said it is unlikely that the law will be changed. The district is committed to becoming smoke-free by 1995, Regele said.