BOARD MEETING – NABC NEW YORK – JULY 4 – 8, 2004

 

Congratulations are in order to Chuck Wilkinson (District 10) from Jackson, Mississippi who was elected as ACBL President for 2005.  We look forward to welcoming Chuck as our guest a Regional Tournament in Florida when his schedule will permit. 

 

As Chairperson of the Junior Committee, I am happy to report that we are making progress to entice more Juniors into the world of bridge. 

I co-sponsored a motion to reduce the entry fee paid by Juniors.  District 9 passed a similar motion at our last board meeting.

(1)    At all NABCs, the entry free for all players who have not yet reached their 16th birthday will be $1 per session except for NABC+ surcharged events. 

(I certainly voted in favor of this.)

(2)    The entry fee for all paid up ACBL members in good standing who have not reached their 26th birthday will be no more than 50% of the Regionally rated entry fee.  This will be effective at our NABC in Orlando this November.

(I voted in favor of this, also).

 

As I have asked in previous articles in the Florida Bridge News, please encourage your clubs and sectional tournaments in your area to adopt this policy.  With the average age of a ACBL member in District above 70.5 years of age---we need to do more marketing, advertising, and teaching the young people to play bridge.

 

Management is investigating a pilot program for youth camps and this report will be given to the board in November.  This would be a program limited to junior players under the age of 21. 

 

 

 

You may be an Emerald or Platinum Life Master and did not know it. 

The board created two new categories….Emerald Life Master at 7500 masterpoints and Platinum Life Master at 10,000 without the requirement of having won a North American Bridge Championship.

 

Categories are as follows:

Bronze Life Master               500 Masterpoints

Silver Life Master                1000 Masterpoints

Gold Life Master                  2500 Masterpoints

Diamond Life Master           5000 Masterpoints

Emerald Life Master            7500 Masterpoints

Platinum Life Master         10,000 Masterpoints

Grand Life Master             10,000 Masterpoints – plus win a North American Bridge Championship with no upper masterpoint restrictions or its equivalent.

 

The new categories are effective immediately and retroactively.

 

Membership dues will be increased effective January 1, 2005.  I did NOT vote in favor of this increase.  The vote was very close but passed nevertheless.

ACBL is current is very sound financial condition with a prediction of excess profit over expenses for 2004. 

Increases are as follows:

                                                2004         2005

Non Life Master                     $32            $35

Life Master                              29               32  

Student                                    12.75         14

Youth                                         5                  5

 

Patron Membership dues were also increased to $250 for Individual membership and $350 for Household membership effective January 1, 2005.

The benefits have also been modified.  All benefits as previously except there will be a 50% discount on the price of a ticket to the Hall of Fame dinner---not complimentary as before.  A $50 (Single) $75 (Household)  merchandise credit to be used during the year….no credits can be accumulated year to year.

I did NOT vote in favor of this.  Do you get the feeling that I am swimming “upstream” on many issues which cost the membership more money.

 

A new award was created…President’s Volunteer of the Year.  The President will select one or two members who have exhibited the long effort and giving that makes the ACBL Volunteers the best in the world.  Management will design and mint medals that commemorate these Awards and they will be presented at the Spring NABC Goodwill meeting.