On an otherwise sedate winter Saturday night, Old Salty's Restaurant came alive Jan. 21, hosting a new twist on a time honored way to raise funds.

More than 100 women packed the restaurant's Fishing Creek venue on Hoopers Island for what was billed as a “fun girls’ night out” – “Bingo with the Boyz” – presented through Simply Sinful Events co-owners Irina Brusilovsky and Debbie LaTorre, assisted by local Realtor and entrepreneur Kelly Ellis-Neal.

Based in Baltimore, Brusilovsky and LaTorre have been successfully booking similar events helping raise thousands of dollars at VFW posts, fire halls and other community venues over the past five years. This was the company's first Eastern Shore date.

Each ticket afforded participants 10 bingo cards, a male dance revue and a surprise entertainer. Food and drink were available for separate purchase from Old Salty's.

Ellis-Neal, who has created a successful second business selling Pure Romance products marketed mainly for women, helped supply gift baskets for bingo prizes and special raffle winners.

The evening raised $1,017 to benefit Patriot Point, the Taylor's Island veteran retreat dedicated to providing a healing refuge.

While all attending were required to be over 18, there was no restriction on how far above that age limit one could be. At least one grandmother, Norma Lee Robinson, a Wingate native who had been married since age 15, enjoyed the festivities along with her daughters Rhonda Bradley and Cassie Hibble, and granddaughters Karla Schieferstein and Alana Hurley (owner of Ooh La La Hair Studio in Cambridge).

Hibble, a nurse now working as a caregiver, was seated across from her patient, former leading local Mary Kay cosmetics distributor Vivian Mitchell. Adorned with a crown, sash and ever-present radiant smile, Mitchell was also celebrating her 90th birthday, complete with candles, cake and a rendition of “Happy Birthday” sung by the room's participants.

Seated around two of the expansive room's long tables were about 15 members of a bachelorette party. Two of the bride-to-be's party, charged with planning the traditional send-off prior to her tying the knot in a Costa Rican distance wedding in February, were delighted at the event's perfect timing.

Between bingo rounds, drag performer Robin Ya' Man appeared, offering up costumed lip sync renditions of iconic female pop music anthems including Dolly Parton's "9 to 5," Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" and Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive." When Ya' Man broke into Olivia Newton-John's "Hopelessly Devoted to You," the audience spontaneously joined in a with a spirited sing-along.

As the last bingo rounds were played, the three male revue dancers began making their way through the crowd, offering “boy next door” friendly greetings to the delighted ladies about to comprise their audience.

A 15-minute break was declared, allowing tables to be moved aside, creating a cleared space in the center of the room. But, before the official performers even began, a surge of women spontaneously spilled out into it, joyously displaying dance moves of their own, then helping set up two long rows of chairs lining the area, many claiming front row seats.

As the Boyz gyrated, frequently getting up close and personal in “Magic Mike” style, many onlookers applauded, swooned and cheered, while others, hanging further back, inched cautiously closer to satisfy their curiosity.

Throughout the fast-paced evening, Old Salty's owners Mike and Melinda Kerr Perry assisted their busy wait staff taking and serving seemingly endless rounds of food and drink orders.

Asked to assess the event's inaugural Eastern Shore success, Brusilovsky indicated it had exceeded expectations, as did Ellis-Neal, who noted that initially "a lot of folks didn't think we'd sell a single ticket!"

Tickets for a May 6 Drag Bingo Brunch at Old Salty's are already on sale, Brusilovsky added.

"If any other venue, especially one with a hall, would like to partner with us to host an event for charity on the Shore, we'd love to speak with them," she said.