Our board meetings here at the Dallas NABC have just ended and the following is a recap of some of the actions taken by the National Board.

• The Insurance Committee met in very long sessions with Met Life to develop a policy which would provide coverage to Directors and Officers of ACBL Units and Districts with some general liability.  This is a policy that ACBL would fund and would be available to all Units and Districts.  Clarification of many issues, including cost, will be investigated and the findings brought to the Board of Directors at the Chicago NABC this summer. The development of an insurance plan to cover Districts and Units will be a great savings in cost......plus provide coverage for those Units and Districts who presently are not covered.

• ACBL will host, and partially fund, a World Bridge Federation Junior Individual Championship Competition in July 2007 in Nashville, Tennessee.  This competition is open to all Juniors 26 years old and younger.  Juniors will play with many partners…chosen at random for this three day event.  No pre-registration is required.  As we get closer to the July 2007 date, I will have more precise information.  Please get in touch with me if you are a Junior, have Juniors at your club or home, or know of a Junior interested in participating.

• In an effort to make Pair Games more competitive with Knock-Out events, a motion was made to allow Regional Pair Events to receive credit for the average number of tables in I/N pair events and Side Game series sessions held simultaneously with the pair event.  This was approved by the board and referred to the Masterpoint Committee for action.

• I have saved the best news for last.  As you know the membership in ACBL has been static for many years. Currently our membership is 154,000 with District 9 (Florida) having approximately 18,000 members. One of my main goals has been to develop a comprehensive marketing plan directed at the 50+ age group. As a direct result of ACBL Management presence at AARP conventions, we are working closely with AARP to establish a number of ACBL-AARP games culminating with an ACBL tournament at the AARP convention this year in Anaheim. These games will be held in Alexandria, Chicago (NABC), Phoenix, Seattle and Atlanta, sites selected by AARP.
  AARP is committed to promoting these games to its 36 million members.
  This is one of the most exciting outreach programs in the history of the ACBL. We are optimistic that the exposure of bridge by AARP will increase our membership drastically over the coming years.

• Please keep in mind the emphasis on teaching bridge. Teaching bridge continues to be a force in bringing new players into the game and new members to ACBL. Teachers recruited 6,405 new members in 2005 

 
Thank you all again for allowing me to serve you, and our District, on the National board.  I travel with a laptop so it is very easy to contact me by e-mail, telephone, or FAX.  I always welcome your comments.

Shirley Seals