Letters to the Editor

St. Christopher’s appreciates support

St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church would like to thank everyone who generously donated items to our Harvest Bazaar and Raffle. Thank you Pit Stop, Fantastic Sam’s, Ace Hardware, John La Bonney, Western Mexican Center, Boulder Dam Hotel, Blis Salon, Darryl Martin, Evans Old Town Grill, Ann Connolly, Patty Jacobson, M.A. Moore, Happy Hoekenga, Peter and Lynn Miller, Little City Grill, Home Hardware, Dr. Clothier, Dairy Queen, Boulder City Golf Course, Albertsons, Chilly Jilly’z, Milo’s, Shirley Putz and the anonymous donors that left prizes on our doorstep.

Thanks to the generosity of Boulder City residents and merchants our bazaar was a great success. Thanks, also, to local authors Peter Miller and Karen Wilkes for allowing St. Christopher’s to host their book signings.

Hacienda rumors a concern

Editor’s note: This letter was addressed to Craig Estey of Dotty’s.

Dear Sir: My purpose in writing you today is two-fold. First, to congratulate you on this recent acquisition of the Hacienda Hotel and Casino near Boulder City. Hopefully, this will be a good project for you and your company, as well as being an asset to the people of this town and the travelers passing through it.

Second, I want to express my concerns about the rumors I have heard during the past weeks while gaming and enjoying buffets at the Hacienda. Several people have told us that the buffet is to be discontinued, the free bingo games on Monday nights discontinued and possibly many of our longtime friends who are employed there might be losing their jobs. This is very sad news, indeed, and I’m hoping they are only rumors, not facts.

My husband and I are in our 70s, former professional people and teachers in California, and we have visited the Gold Strike/Hacienda since 1988 when our son started working at the Gold Strike. Some of the employees working there are people we have known all these years, and we are impressed at the efficient way they have greeted customers, welcomed travelers and completed their jobs — specifically Jay Server, slot manager; “Mr. Lucky,” Chuck and his wife, Margie; and the floor people and change girls. If they are no longer employed there, my husband and I will go to the Railroad Pass or Fiesta to do our gaming and dining.

As new residents of Boulder City, we have enjoyed the weekly free bingo games on Monday nights with about 10-12 of our friends from our over 55 community each week. Last Monday night, I counted 92 people at that Monday night game, and I feel sure that you will lose their business if these games are discontinued.

For one thing, in order for us to get an extra card to play with on Monday nights, we have been going to the Hacienda two, three or even four days a week to do our gambling instead of going to other casinos in the area. And, each time, we see the other bingo players also trying to rack up points.

The bottom line of this letter is: Please reconsider your decision to stop the bingo games and the buffets, and please strongly consider retaining the old-time employees who have served this area so well for so long. Those of us who live a short distance from the casino would very much like to continue going there, but we will wait until this new venture gets underway before deciding which way to travel to enjoy our gaming and dining.