Sheraton Caregivers took an adaptation of a long-standing and popular game show to Newtown Senior Center recently, and nearly two dozen NSC members enjoyed the hour of laughter and gentle competition.

Debi Coniglio-Kilcourse, a community liaison of Sheraton Caregivers, was joined by Tracy Brady, a regional consultant for the company that provides nonmedical care, homemaking and companion services for those still living at home to residents of senior living and care communities in Fairfield and Litchfield counties. Coniglio-Kilcourse credited Brady with creating the traveling version of the game, although it was Coniglio-Kilcourse who served as the game show host on November 14.

To the 23 contestants, Coniglio-Kilcourse explained what everyone would be doing for the next hour: bidding for prizes that would go to the person who guessed closest, without going over, the cost of each prize.

After lining up 14 gift bags of varying sizes, Coniglio-Kilcourse explained each bag contained a miscellaneous item. Each round would begin, she said, with someone from the audience selecting one of the bags and pulling its wrapped item out.

Bidding would continue until everyone who wanted to try for each prize had offered a bid, she explained.

Coniglio-Kilcourse opened play by asking everyone when their birthday was. The person closest to November 14 was invited to pick the gift bag of their choice, which was soon unveiled as a bag of Tiny Tim’s Chocolate Chip Cookies.

A whiteboard with everyone’s names was set up in the northern area of the room. Coniglio-Kilcourse initially wrote everyone’s names and bids on the board, but Brady stepped in to help with that. The move allowed Coniglio-Kilcourse to walk around the room and let everyone see the items being bid on.

Brady kept track of the bids as they were called out, writing them next to each contestant’s name.

Bidding started slowly, as the senior center members became accustomed to the new offering. Once a few rounds were underway, however, bidding became more competitive and laughter grew in volume. Prizes included decorative pillows, card games, stuffed animals and other attractive offerings.

As things wound down with each series of bids, Coniglio-Kilcourse would ask for final bids. Once everyone indicated they were happy with their bids — or not interested in an item — the two women would go through the list on the whiteboard and circle each round’s winner.

That person was presented their prize, and then invited to the front of the room to select the next gift bag to be opened, continuing the game.

Coniglio-Kilcourse said she didn’t speak too much about her employer. Pamphlets and business cards were left on the front table, and she introduced herself and who she worked for, “but my focus with this program is really just to let everyone have some fun. It isn’t a hard sell, not at all.”

Coniglio-Kilcourse also said 13 of the 14 available prizes were won last Thursday afternoon. The final prize, she told The Newtown Bee the following afternoon, “everyone overbid on it!” she said with a laugh.

“It was a card making project, and they all guessed over the purchase price, so I turned that over to the senior center,” Coniglio-Kilcourse said. “They now have that to enjoy for themselves.”

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.