NEBridge - From the President's Table

From the President's Table

November 24, 2024

As we begin the holiday season, I have a heartfelt wish, a unique new event and special request. I know this looks long, but I promise it’s worth the read.

A Heartfelt Wish

As I spend the day wrapping up loose ends from Norwich, I’ve been thinking about our New England bridge community. With Thanksgiving approaching, it seems the perfect time to let you know how grateful I am for each and every one of you. Our new bridge world can be a challenging place but your vibrancy, dedication and camaraderie is a gift for which I remain ever thankful. Thank you for helping create the thriving community we share. I wish each of you and your families the happiest of Thanksgivings.

The Unique New Event

You might have missed the information about the FANTASTIC new gold point event coming in December. GOLD FOR GOOD is a unique way to play for GOLD points and support the folks trying to rebuild their lives in the wake of biblical hurricane destruction. Imagine trying to care for your family and rebuild your life when even basic infrastructure and essential services have been obliterated.

Here are the highlights: There are two different opportunities to participate, December 9-14 and/or 16-21. You can play in either, both or none. The cost is a $30 donation per week. Since the ACBL is covering all the credit card fees, every cent of your $30 will be donated to two excellent organizations, World Central Kitchen and Direct Relief. It works like a side game series at a regional. Every time you play at your club (morning or afternoon), your scores will be entered into the "big event." Best of all, while one of your games must be F2F, you can also play in an online club game. You may also play with different partners, even if they haven’t registered for the event. There will be daily section tops and the overalls at the end of each event. You can find all the technical details HERE.

This is a Fairy GOLDmother approved event. Even if you can’t actually play, join your bridge community by supporting those who desperately need your help. All you have to do is register, play in your favorite club game and enjoy watching the leaderboard change as the results come in.

Deadline: 11:59 12/8

Deadline: 11:59 12/15

A Special Request

This is my favorite time of year. It's a whole season when we focus on hope, humanity and our role in continuing the creation of the universe. There is nothing more powerful than a motivated individual, except a group of motivated and engaged individuals. Together we can change the world, or at least our little corner of it.

There’s a little-known backstory to GOLD FOR GOOD. Almost two years ago, we asked the ACBL to host an charity event in the wake of the devastating Syrian earthquake. Long story short, after much effort, their answer was no. Several weeks ago, we broached the subject again, this time to new management. I am extremely pleased to report by working together for the good of bridge and humanity, GOLD FOR GOOD was born.

Please register today and help make this a huge success. Enjoy this great game with your bridge friends, support our neighbors in dire need AND let the ACBL know by your participation how much you value their partnership with us. Please know how much I appreciate you supporting this new endeavor. This has the potential to scale. Let's make it happen together!

Susan

President, New England Bridge Conference

a.k.a. Your Fairy GOLDmother

October 30, 2024

First things first! Happy Haunting. I wish you all the most interesting tricks on the spooky day.

Next, thank you to everyone who attended our Fun & Frolic. I know it’s hard to believe a Zoom meeting can be fun, but our players make it so. About 30 people stopped by, and we got to know each other a little better, heard some great ideas, answered lots of questions and shared some hot scoop. Not to mention, six lucky attendees won Dunkin gift cards.

Now to the confession. Although I’m really good at many things, it’s embarrassing how bad I am at geography. You most definitely do NOT want me on your trivia team if that topic’s involved. As much as I love answering questions, I was at a loss when asked how does one get to the Harvest Regional in Norwich? It was also concerning when someone else commented it was so far away from everywhere. It’s always my mission to find out what I don’t know and am pleased to confirm that Norwich is actually a convenient location for most all New England bridge players. Check out these driving times, It’s less than a two-hour drive for most of us.

1:45 from Stamford (only 20 minutes longer that it was to Cromwell)

1:00 from Warwick

40 minutes from Hartford

1:04 from SpringfieldSpringfield

1:45 from Boston

1:53 from Nashua

2:00 from Brattleboro

Not to mention, it’s an easy highway drive. Don’t let our new location deter you from sharing the fun. It’s shaping up to be a great tournament - especially with the exciting return of the NAPs to F2F! Here’s a link to the schedule. Best of all, Sally reports the hotel staff is looking forward to being our host and ensuring each and every guest has a wonderful stay.

NORWICH HOTEL UPDATE

A chance to win a trip to the nationals, a great venue, GOLD point opportunities for every level and awesome hospitality - what else do you expect from a NE Regional? Although the deadline for the bridge rate is past, the Holiday Inn will honor the bridge rate as long as rooms are available. You can call the hotel directly at (860) 899-5201 or click this link to reserve your room at the bridge rate. Please contact Sally if you have any issues booking your room.

Until next time….

Susan

President, New England Bridge Conference

October 14, 2024

We’ve been experiencing some email issues and evidently the last installment of the President’s Table ended up in many a spam folder, never to be seen again. If this is your second copy, check out the Norwich section. It’s new information.

I’m so excited! I know, I know, you’re already saying to yourself….”This woman’s always more excited than any human on earth”. But really, I can hardly contain myself. Warwick was such a smashing success!! Of course, the first thing everyone aways asks is, How many tables? Our 932.5 speaks for itself. What really set it apart from any tournament we’ve ever had….YOU! Warwick was a triumph of fun, camaraderie and community celebration. Checkout the pictures, need I say more? We welcomed new directors to our staff, celebrated Horace Gower’s spectacular career and hosted a make your own sundae party. Oh yeah, there was bridge happening too….a wildly successful 4-day Bridge FEST!, the Bridge Olympics, a Bracketed Pairs event 30% larger than Nashua (and we were stunned by that success) and an amazing number of Pros who added a new level of excitement. I thank each and every one of you who attended. You helped imbue the whole tournament with a sense of spirited fun and friendship. We all left with a renewed hope and satisfaction that the future of bridge is secure in your hands.

I can’t wait to see where we go from here. Plan on joining us in Norwich and see.

NORWICH NOW!

A chance to win a trip to the nationals, a great venue, GOLD point opportunities for every level and awesome hospitality - what else do you expect from a NE Regional? Come and support our return to Connecticut. As always, it’s important to book your room early to secure the discounted rate. Here’s the link to reserve your room at the bridge rate. And here’s a link to the schedule.

GOLD POINTS AT YOUR CLUB

Royal STaC week is arriving October 14-20. Not only do you have the opportunity for HUGE overalls, every masterpoint will be awarded in 25% of each color! This special event is only played in your local F2F club. Make your plans to play today.

GOING GREENer

Playing bridge is fun and attending tournaments is even more exciting, but we do generate a lot of waste. Although we’ve started our “greening” by eliminating the thousands of paper flyers we produced every year and now reducing the number of printouts we provide by more than 50%, we haven’t yet reached the point where we raise our collective consciousness and purposely include environmental issues in our planning and deliberative process.

I’m excited to announce that Malcolm Burson, from Maine, has volunteered to share his passion for protecting our environment with us. He’s raring to go with a great plan and is setting up a committee of like-minded players. Please let us know if you’d like to join this historic effort. It’s the perfect way to combine two of your interests while make a lasting positive impact on your bridge community.

TUESDAY NIGHT FUN & FROLIC

While I love reading your responses to these emails, we really missing chatting with you in person. It’s time for the return of Tuesday Night Fun and Frolic. Plan to join us on TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, anytime between 6:30 and 7:30. This would be the perfect time to ask questions about Norwich (schedule, hotel, etc.), the NAPs and find out all the latest scoop. And believe me…. we already have the NEXT BIG THING to announce. Denise, Sally and I hope we see you there. Not to mention, you never know who might be joining us.

I never think these emails will be long. Thanks for reading and as always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments and ideas.

Until next time….don’t forget to book your room in Norwich.

Susan

President, New England Bridge Conference

August 15, 2024

Missed me? I’ve enjoyed meeting so many of you in recent weeks, and more importantly, hearing your thoughts and ideas. Bridge in New England is fun, vibrant and enjoyable - thanks to YOU! Please continue to share your comments with us. My inbox/cell is always waiting to connect with you. Until then, here’s the latest scoop….

SPEAKING OF YOUR COMPANY

Plan to attend our first ever, Stop By & Say "Hi" event in Warwick. Not only do we value your thoughts and ideas, we enjoy spending time with you. To make that happen in a relaxed environment, we’re hosting an open house event on Tuesday, September 3 @ 5:30 in the Rotunda. Plan to join us for snacks and conversation. It will be your chance to meet and connect with our New England bridge family: the Executive Committee, directors, unit officers, and most importantly, our players! We’ll be saving a brie and apricot tartlet for you!

OCEANS OF FUN

Speaking of Warwick, the Ocean State Regional begins in just a couple of weeks. I hope you plan to play and dive into the fun. We begin on Tuesday, September 3 through Sunday, September 8. We’re all so excited, it's like waiting for Santa to arrive on Christmas morning. We’ve been working for years and the time is finally here. Early signs indicate this is going to be our BIGGEST TOURNAMENT yet! Not to mention, the schedule is filled with innovative and special events. No matter your level, we have a fun and challenging game designed for you. Dare I say, EVERYONE has a chance to win an event and earn GOLD! Here’s a sneak peek:

The Bridge Olympics are returning with four nights of fun, food and lots of frolic - not to mention GOLD. In addition to masterpoints, players earn “Laurel Points” for various achievements - like surviving a round in the KO or earning a section top. The player earning the most laurels will become our Olympian and win a special prize. Gold points for nightly winners who play at least two games and for the overalls.

The Bracketed Pairs are back with a chance to win an event and GOLD points by playing only against people of similar experience. Both were a huge hit in their Nashua debut - you don’t want to miss your chance to be part of the experiment. Your participation and feedback will determine if these events become approved permanently. Come be part of bridge history in the making.

On Thursday we’re having a SUPER Secret All-Day Event. I’m sworn to secrecy, so if you want this particular scoop, you’ll need to play! We’ve sold out our room block three times but there are still a few rooms available in the hotel. If you decide to join us, make your reservation today. The Bridge Rate Code is NEB.

BRIDGE FEST!

Bridge FEST! is also returning with four days packed with exciting NEW and FUN activities. On Wednesday, the ever-entertaining Jori Grossack shares her unique gift for improving your game while you’re having so much fun you’ll forget it’s a lesson. Thanks to our friends at IntoBridge.com, you will be able to replay the Bridge FEST! hands when you get home. You can choose to declare or defend, and play with your partner, your other bridge friends, robots, or some combination. We’re also offering TWO DAYS of GOLD point events on Friday and Saturday. This is going to be HUGE! Please share this with all the new and advancing players you know. We’d love to have them join us!

ALERT, BIG NEWS!

Now, here’s a hot scoop! I’m pleased to announce that our summer 2025 regional will be held at the Newton Marriott, June 17-22. Those of you old-timers, like me, may remember enjoying the property each January when we played in the Keohane Individual. They are super excited to host our tournament and our contract is quite favorable - thanks again to Sally Kirtley, our tournament manager, working with Conference Direct. We’re disappointed to be losing our New Hampshire venue but we’re blessed to have found a new metropolitan home.

EVEN BIGGER NEWS!

This just in….the Royal STaCs have been approved for 2025. You’ll be able to play for GOLD/RED/SILVER/BLACK awards at your local club again. The dates are May 19-25 and October 6-12. This is an awesome way to add energy and enthusiasm to local games. Our last Royal STaC of 2024 is coming up October 14-20. Ask your club manager for their schedule and plan to play often that week. It’s a great opportunity to win lots of colorful points.

I always think I don’t have much to share. Yikes! Thanks for reading this far. I hope you found it helpful and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Until next time….don’t forget to make a date to play in Warwick!

Susan

President, New England Bridge Conference

April 29, 2024

You’re the BEST!

As you can probably tell from the content of these messages, a lot has been going on these last few months. While we appreciate all the people who have been stepping up to join our leadership team, it’s still a ton of work - but it’s so worth it, thanks to YOU! So many people have been so generous of spirit, taking the time to share their appreciation for our efforts and compliment the positive changes we’ve been making. It’s restoritve and energizing. Keep it up! Don’t forget, we also want to hear your thoughts on what might not work for you and your suggestions for improvements. Thank you for making the New England bridge community THE place to play our favorite game.

Speaking of Our Bridge Community
I attended the ACBL-Wide Club Managers Zoom meeting a couple of weeks ago and connected with the folks from Unit 176 in Texas. It seems they store all their tournament supplies in a trailer and the trailer was stolen, leaving them faced with a huge unexpected expense. I’m happy to report, the good people of District 25 came to their rescue. Since we were just blessed with the gift of new bidding boxes, we decided to pay it forward. A team of dedicated volunteers (including our tireless caddies) rehabbed our old boxes and we sent 576 boxes, enough for 144 tables to Texas in time for their regional. We cleaned each one and replaced missing cards, packed them up for the long journey and off they went - the very appreciative folks in Unit 176 just paid the shipping costs. It was so inspiring to be part of a collegial and cooperative project with another District.

What a Spectacle
Who knew? The Spectacle Regional in Southbridge turned out to be one of our BEST tournaments ever! I can’t begin to tell you everything that made it so, but as you’ll see from a few of my pictures, everyone had a smile on their face thanks to the great vibe. The Bridge Olympics was a smash hit and I have to share a little secret. I found my new favorite partner, Horace Gower, our favorite Tournament Director from Maine. It’s been my pleasure to work with Horace since I became a TD over 25 years ago and he’s been so helpful along the way, but we never played bridge together until the Olympics. We decided to partner up and play what I call, “1950s Little Old Lady Bridge”. That’s right, only Stayman, Major Suit Transfers and regular Blackwood. I’m happy to report this boring system helped us old-timers beat the young whippersnappers with all their new-fangled systems. The Olympics gave us the opportunity to play some great bridge in a relaxed and rollicking environment and still be finished in enough time to recuperate for the following day. We’ll be experimenting at least one more time in Warwick, so plan to play. But, if you happen to sit at a table with Horace, watch out, his brain is working at devilish speed behind that engaging smile.

Fun & Frolic
Tuesday Night Fun and Frolic is coming to Zoom on TUESDAY, May 14, 6:30-7:30. Plan to join Denise and me for a lively hour of insight and conversation. This month’s program features a celebrity guest! Don’t miss your chance to ask questions or share your thoughts and ideas - not to mention, we always share some inside scoop! This is a great time to ask any questions you might have about the hotel or events at the Granite State Get-Away. You have to hear all about our Bracketed PAIRS event so you can make your plans to play.

Bridge Get-Away to the Granite State
We’ll be returning to the Nashua Sheraton, June 11-16, for a week of interesting, fun and social-yet competitive- events. There will be so much going on, I have to send you another email to cover it all. Until then, here’s a couple of teasers. The PRO-AM (Four-is-Enough style) returns with a Hawaiian theme. You definitely don’t want to miss that experience. Our $1/Round Zip KO Party will again feature fabulous bar food and more laughs than should be legal. Bridge Fest returns with featured presenter Bill Segraves, bringing you a JAM Session! Hmmm. Sound interesting yet?

This is the tournament we’re bringing you Bracketed PAIRS. This has been over a year in the making and will be the most exotic and exciting event we’ve spawned - even by District 25 standards. Bracketed Pairs is going to become the next big thing in bridge - I guarantee it!!! Please plan on attending Fun & Frolic and hear all about it.

Club Corner
Bridge at all levels flourishes when our clubs flourish. To that end, one of our integral initiatives is forging a new relationship between the District and its clubs. You’ve probably heard we added a Club Special Events Guru to our team. He’s going to help clubs maximize the extra point games our clubs can offer. Since then, we gave another 50 tables of rehabbed bidding boxes to clubs and teachers who requested them. Best news yet, in Nashua we’ll be hosting our first ever Club Owners & Managers Meet & Greet, did I mention there’s wine and cheese with that? It’s my sincere hope we’ll be able to collaborate on new and interesting ways to support each other.

In the meantime, the Royal STaC is coming in May 20-26. This is an awesome event which has become one of my personal favorites. It’s a great way to earn a substantial number of RED-SILVER & GOLD points, right from the comfort of your club. Unfortunately, the ACBL has substantially raised the sanction fee. We appreciate our club owners' dedication to making their clubs special places to grow New England’s bridge community and want to support their efforts, so we’ll be returning $2/table for Royal STaC sanction fees to every club that requests a rebate via email. Thanks again for all you do!!

You might not believe this, but I really thought I didn’t have too much to say this month. I guess I was wrong. Hope you enjoyed the scoop and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Until next time….don’t forget to make a date and play in Nashua.

Susan
President, New England Bridge Conference

P.S. Don’t forget to keep an eye on your inbox. The second issue of Community Connections is due to arrive in May.

March 17, 2024

Happy Spring….well, close enough. As the world starts to awaken from the dark and dreary, our bridge world is following suit! There are so many exciting things going on, I’d just like to steal a couple of minutes to keep you in the loop.

Huge News - The Harvest Regional Returns
Let’s start with some really awesome news. I am excited to announce that New England is heading to Connecticut for a regional, the first in 5 years! Thanks to a tremendous team effort, the Harvest Regional will be held November 18-23 at the Holiday Inn in Norwich. This has been a long and challenging time for our leadership team and we really owe a great debt to everyone who worked to make this happen. I’d like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Presidents of both District 2 and 5. Our new week happens to fall at the same time District 2 is holding their tournament and District 5 was hosting one on another week we were considering during the search process. Both graciously approved our request to schedule our regional at the same time as theirs. It’s been a pleasure to work with leaders who care about local bridge players and are dedicated to helping tournament bridge thrive. Do me a huge favor. When your bridge playing takes you outside of New England, please remember their collegiality and goodwill when deciding where to travel. I’m quite sure it’s evident in their hospitality!

Community Connections
Watch your inbox for an exciting arrival. The first issue of our new district newsletter is on the way. Thanks to Vermont’s own Stuart Showalter for taking up the mantle of editor-in-chief.

Fun & Frollick
Tuesday Night Fun and Frollick is coming to Zoom on March 26. Plan to join Denise and I and share all or part of an hour dedicated to answering your questions and hearing your thoughts and ideas - not to mention, we’ll be sharing some inside scoop! This is a great time to ask any questions you might have about the hotel or events at the Spectacle Regional.

Speaking of the Spectacle Regional
It’s going to be HUGE! There is still time to make your reservation at the most interesting hotel on our rotation. It’s my personal favorite. You can click the ad below to see the full schedule BUT you can’t miss the BRIDGE OLYMPICS! it’s the worldwide premiere of your chance to win more GOLD in a super fun and friendly event. The ACBL gave us special permission to run this experiment, so let’s make it a HUGE success. Here’s the concept - we’ll be hosting four different evening events - guaranteed to be fun and finished early. In addition to the “normal” masterpoints, each player will earn “Event Points” based on their performance. These event points will be tallied at the end of the week to determine our overall champions and winners of bonus GOLD points. It’s similar to a side game series, but with a mix of team and pair events. Plan to play. Did I mention, we’ll have great snacks?

Another Calendar Accomplishment
In other scheduling news….again for the first time in many years….all our regional flyers and schedules have been posted through the end of the year. We realize this have been a long time coming and thank you for your patience. We’re now diligently working on getting you the information for 2025!

Sanctioning Workshop
Okay, this might be a little on the boring side, but it’s big news nonetheless. Thanks to our collaboration with the ACBL, our units will be participating in a first-ever Sanctioning Workshop to train our coordinators and Unit Presidents on the often complicated process. We’re working in partnership with the ACBL and hopefully ours will become a model training program for the entire ACBL.

Non-Life Masters: Time for a Commercial Announcement
The Fairy GOLDmother will be hosting our annual NLM<500 GOLD Point Teams on Sunday, April 7 on BBO. Also known as the Flight C GNT, this is one of the best ways to earn those GOLD points while playing in your comfy clothes in your favorite chair. Details hit your inboxes this week and are available on the website. If you need partners or teammates, please let me know ASAP. Pre-registration is required.

Want to Have Some Fun and Make a Difference...
The BEST news ever….we’ve been laughing more and freaking out less! Our team really is having a great time getting to know each other, sharing some much deserved success and seeing the fruits of so many labors flourish. Please consider joining us. We really do have a place at the table for your and your talents, whatever they may be. Fun and camaraderie are just an email away.

Until next time….don’t forget to make a date and play in Southbridge.

Susan
D25 President

February 13, 2024

An Update from the President’s Table

Mansfield was Indeed SUPER...
WOW! That’s all I can say. We didn’t know what to expect when we added the Super Sectional & NLM < 750 Regional to our schedule at the last minute.…new site, new date, new format...but WOW! It turned out to be a blast. Judging from the unprecedented number of glowing emails hitting our inbox, the players agree. The playing space was spacious, the directors were fun, the hotel staff was gracious and accommodating and the snacks were unbelievably yummy - even the healthy ones. Checkout the proof below. Our “Come Back to Bridge" promotion attracted quite a few people who haven’t played since 2020 and we hosted just over 313 tables. We’re now looking forward to making this event a regular part of our rotation. Not to mention, we’re bottling the “vibe” and bringing it to Southbridge in April.

We’re Having a Contest - and Need Your Entry...
We’re about to launch a District 25 newsletter. It’s a work in progress and the format will probably evolve over time, but Stuart Showalter from Vermont has gracious agreed to be our editor-in-chief. First things first - we need a name. Please send us your ideas for a pithy moniker that will entice everyone to anxiously anticipate its arrival in their inboxes. Winner will receive a free entry in Southbridge.

Our Next BIG Thing...
Watch your inboxes and the website for details on the BRIDGE OLYMPICS, coming to Southbridge. Here’s your chance to win more GOLD in a super fun and friendly event, never before played anywhere on the planet. The ACBL gave us special permission to run this experiment, so let’s make it a HUGE success. Here’s the concept. We’ll be hosting four different evening events - guaranteed to be fun and finished early. In addition to the “normal” masterpoints, each player will earn “Event Points” based on their performance. These event points will be tallied at the end of the week to determine our overall champions and winners of bonus GOLD points. It’s similar to a side game series, but with a mix of team and pair events. Plan to play. Did I mention we’ll have great snacks?

BIG Things Also Happen Away from the Table...
I’m passionate about creating strong, supportive relationships between the district and our units and clubs. Working with each other is the key to unlocking everyone's success in the post-Covid world. To that end, we’ve launched a few new initiatives to make that a reality. This month we’re launching our first Unit Presidents' Meeting and we have an exciting agenda. Jen Reidy has come aboard as our District Membership Liaison and she’s ready to help our units with getting the most out of the ACBL’s new 5/5/5 Program. We’ve also partnered with the ACBL to create a sanctioning workshop for our units to receive some long awaited training and support. Cathy Cooper is now serving as our District Tournament Coordinator and has been doing an awesome job helping everyone get organized and on track for what’s becoming a full slate of New England bridge events. Club owner and managers, don’t feel left out - we’re looking to partner with you next!

Something NEW at Clubs...
Thanks to John Pieper, our new Club Special Events Liaison, there's another new event on our schedule. Mark your calendars now for D25 EXTRA WEEK: Extra Masterpoints, Extra Fun & Extra Community support! The menu of these special extra point games will be offered November 12-15. Watch your local club news for details.

Want to Have Some Fun and Make a Difference...
Join us! As you can tell, we’re off to an ambitious start and while it is lots of work, we’re having so much fun. As the old saying goes, many hands do make light work - and add to the camaraderie. If you have an area of interest, a pet project or just want to join a team a fun, dedicated bridge fanatics, please let us know. We’d LOVE to have your join us.

Until next time….don’t forget to make a date and play in one (or two) of our GNT events!

Susan
D25 President

January 28, 2024

On behalf of the entire New England Bridge Conference leadership team, I’m pleased to be the last person wishing you a Happy New Year. Okay, I realize that seems a little weird, but something just occurred to me. As the cold, wet winter weather starts to permeate our days with gray, it’s the perfect time to get back in touch the joy, excitement and promise the holiday season brought. We wish each of you and your families a 2024 filled with health, happiness and many challenging days at the bridge table.

Although the calendar has yet to turn its first page, we’ve been busier than ever and have much in store for 2024! You're going to see lots of exciting and creative additions to our tournaments.

Imagine, playing only against other pairs with your same experience level and earning GOLD points - even if you're a player under 100 points! It’s coming this June in Nashua. Watch for details. Ever wonder what it would be like to compete in a pentathlon at the bridge table. Your chance to become a Bridge Olympian is coming to Southbridge in April. Until then, you can join us at the SUPER POINT Sectional & NLM <750 Regional which starts on Tuesday in Mansfield. Never before has so much SILVER been showered on so many people.

We're also excited to report that we’ve established a newfound cooperative partnership with the ACBL, based on a mutual interest in fostering the resurgence of bridge and nurturing our clubs and players. Wait until you see what we can accomplish when our players, clubs and units join us in a building a mutually beneficial relationship. It’s going to be an awesome ride. We’re glad you’re taking it with us.

To that end, we have one disheartening item to report and we need your help. The sanction for our Marlboro regional, scheduled for November 2024 has been cancelled. As was the case last November, the tournament was scheduled opposite the regional in District 4. Since they were the traditional “owners” of that week and Marlboro is within the newly created 425-mile required distance between regionals, they have exercised their prerogative and denied us permission to hold ours. Please know that while the ACBL has been our partner in trying to negotiate a reasonable solution, District 4 remains recalcitrant and we now find ourselves working on Plan B. Here’s where we could use your support.

If you have a suggestion for a potential venue, please share it with us ASAP. We’re looking for late October/early November (except for Halloween week) and need a facility with at least 8,000 square feet of ballroom space. We’ll leave no door unopened. People of Connecticut, this is your chance - we’d love to find a new home in your neck of the woods.

In the meantime, we’re working on alternatives. Who knows, Plan B, Plan C or Plan D, might just become the next BIG THING!

We so enjoy sharing our time at the table with you. If you have any thoughts on how we can make your bridge experience more entertaining, challenging, sociable or just way more FUN, please share your ideas with us. Not to mention, if you’d like to become part of the team that makes it all happen, we’ve got a spot for you.

All the best,

Susan Miguel

D25 President & Fairy GOLDmother

"There is nothing impossible to they who will try.”

Alexander the Great