LI Family To Host 50th Straight Social Distancing Bingo Night

STONY BROOK, NY — In the time of the coronavirus outbreak, a family of four from Stony Brook has given Americans something to look forward to on a daily basis. Friday night will mark the 50th straight live social distancing-themed Bingo game hosted by the Mastrianos. The free games will continue every night until the social distancing orders are lifted.

The game is open to the public and has a steady following of repeat players, with new families joining in every night, Laura Mastriano, the wife and mother, said. Each night, the game begins at 7:30 p.m. EST on Facebook Live and runs about an hour. The sessions are hosted on Laura's Facebook page, which can be accessed here.

Laura, an event-planner, told Patch she lost her business due to the coronavirus. Out of work, she decided to pour her time into something fun.

"Instead of worrying about what happened, I chose (and still choose) to stay positive, knowing and hoping that one day we will all be able to celebrate together again," she said in an email. "I thought hosting a BINGO game would be a fun way to keep our family and friends connected, plus an opportunity for anyone to jump in and play for a free, fun distraction. The games are also a great creative outlet for me, as I am making new decorations every day for the day’s theme with recycled props and supplies I can find in the house."

Friday's theme will be hockey — the family's favorite sport. Before the game, the family supplies a word list and a blank Bingo sheet. Print the sheet, choose 24 words from the list and write them on the card. The Mastrianos pick the words live, share facts related to the night's theme and crack jokes.

Players can be any age, and the game has spread across the country. Participants are encouraged to dress up to match the theme, too. Traditional Bingo and full-sheet are both played.

Ever since the game launched March 20, there's been a new theme every night. Past themes include Disney, America, Sports Night, Super Heroes, Movie Night, Video Games, Harry Potter, Football, Nurses Day, Ice Cream, Cinco De Mayo and Alice in Wonderland.

Here are some quick facts on the Mastriano family, courtesy of Laura:

• Joe- Husband, Father: still working remotely from home for Apex Systems, Inc. (I.T. Staffing company); After Joe’s day of work, he does some research for the day’s bingo theme. He is behind the camera, reads live shout-outs, jokes, facts and provides commentary throughout the game.
• Laura- Wife, Mother: out of work event-planner, L.A. Productions Events- all business and events have been canceleed as a result of the pandemic. Finds the game as a way to stay positive and help spread hope that once this passes, everyone will want to celebrate together again. Laura starts working on the new theme by 7 a.m., creating a word list, posting it to Facebook and social media, and then spends hours designing the set: making/using/recycling any items she can find in her home. She does all this while running in and out checking on school work progress, cooking meals for the family, and remembering to run the laundry, etc.)
• Maddie- Daughter, Sister: 2nd-year college student, Loyola University in Maryland. Now taking all her classes virtually from her bedroom. When she is not in live class, or doing her school work, she joins the game dressed as a shark, affectionately known as "Sharkie" to her online fans.
• Joseph- Son, Brother: Junior at Ward Melville High School; after his day of e-learning and school assignments, Joseph joins in for game time and helps keep track of the words pulled during the game, as well as keeping things organized. He usually throws in some trivia or jokes too.
• Phoebe- English Bulldog, Mascot: Phoebe loves to dress up for the theme of each Bingo game. She has a growing fan base and helps instantly spread smiles when she graces everyone with her presence. Sometimes she does sit at the host table, because she wants to run the show.

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