By Stephenie Steitzer
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MONROE - Monroe High School's thespian troupe's fund-raiser was a success, but it wasn't exactly sweet-smelling.

The troupe raised about $500 through "cowpie bingo."

The high school football field was divided into 200 five-yard squares and sold for $5 each. A cow, belonging to the Robert Majors family of Monroe, was led around the field for nearly an hour after Friday night's football game, finally depositing between the goal line and 5-yard-line, on the visitors' side.

David Hesson, the school's drama director, said the cow left its droppings on a square bought by Bob Kelly of Monroe. The troupe gave Kelly $450 - or about half of the $900 raised - and he then gave a portion back.

Hesson said the fund-raiser, the first of its kind at Monroe in memory, raised money for the troupe's fall production, Cheaper by the Dozen, on Nov. 6 and 7 at the high school. Variations of cowpie bingo have been played for years around the country, typically in rural communities.

Only about 30 people were there by the time the cow finished its role, long after Monroe's football game with West Carrollton High School.

Michael Majors, 16, whose family owns the black Angus heifer, said their nameless cow didn't have stage fright, because it is a show cow. He said the cow ate well ahead of time, but it doesn't matter.

"(They go) whenever nature calls," he said.

E-mail stephsteitzer@hotmail.com