Bunco for Breast Cancer: The History

What is Bunco?

Bunco has its origins in England and became a common parlor game in the United States after the Civil War. It regained popularity in the 1980s as a family game, similar to Yahtzee.

What do Bunco and Breast Cancer have in common?

Both invite a passionate response from women all over the United States – one, the passion for a crazy, mindless game of chance played with friends and family, the other the passion to raise awareness and ultimately prevail over breast cancer, a disease that affects the lives of women and families throughout our world.

What happens when you join the passion for Bunco with the passion for Breast Cancer Awareness?

You get the annual Vera West Bunco for Breast Cancer Tournament, a very loud evening of fun, food, prizes, laughter, and tears. Women of all ages and stages unite around this crazy game for a common cause, together making a tremendous difference in the health and welfare of many women in our community. Proceeds from the tournament go to the Hope Fund, providing free mammograms to women who cannot afford them.

When was the first Vera West tournament, and how has the event grown?

The first tournament was in 2003. Held in the Auxiliary Conference Center at Hendrick Medical Center, the event drew 212 women and raised $2,800 for the Hope Fund. The following year the event moved to the Abilene Civic Center with 300 women raising $7,000 for the cause. In October of 2005, 420 women raised $12,000 for free mammograms. In 2006, more than 500 women set a record event attendance and raised a whopping $18,000 for the Hope Fund.

This year we have added Table sponsorship donation of $250 which personalizes a Bunco table in your honor and in honor of a cancer warrior or survivor. Please continue to donate to the Hope Fund and roll the dice against breast cancer by attending our event on October 27, 2009.

What are the goals for the 2009 tournament?

With our Mardi Gras theme and dice ready to roll, we invite you to grab all your friends, find your best Mardi Gras mask and parade down to the Civic Center, Tuesday, October 27 for dice, Zydeco, fun, food and Lagniappe (a Cajun word for something extra)!