Newsletter for Club Managers     Spring Edition   May 2004  

By Carol Robertson, Director of club and Member Service

 

Items of Interest to Clubs passed by Board of Directors at Reno meeting Spring 2004.

 

Charity Game Fees:  Beginning January 1, 2005, District and Unit Charity game table fees will increase by $1 per table ($6 to $7)

 

Stratified Swiss Teams:

At sponsor option, the stratification level of a team in a stratified Swiss team event may be determined by the average masterpoint holding of all team members.

 

Mailing Lists:

Unit or District Tournament Chairs and members of an NABC Host Committee may now receive a free list with names and addresses of potential tournament attendees.  To order a list, please contact Alicia Van Gunda at listlabels@acbl.org or via telephone at 901-332-5586, Ext. 1258.

 

ACBLscore Information:

Want a faster ACBLscore posting process?  E-mail your report.  E-mailed reports are posted almost immediately.  For instruction on submitting your club reports by e-mail, use this link www.acbl.org/acblscore/clubreport.html.

 

Got Questions?  We have answers!  Frequently asked questions for ACBLscore are now available on our web site at www.acbl.org/acblscore/acblscorefaqs.html

 

If you don’t find the answer there, Dave Smith at our Computer Help Desk is available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. CST Monday through Friday.  Contact Dave

at acblscore@acbl.org or by calling 901-332-5586, Ext. 1336.

 

THE ACBL ON THE ROAD

Active seniors, game players and educators are the audiences for ACBL public recruitment and awareness efforts this year.  We’re taking our game on the road to major conventions.  Area volunteers are welcome to help staff exhibit booths and promote all that’s great about bridge.

 

CONVENTION SCHEDULE:

Origins International Game Expo     Columbus, Ohio   June 24 – 27

Estimated attendance:  13,000  Sponsored with the Game Manufacturers of America.

 

National Education Association Convention – Washington, D. C.  July 2 – 4

Estimated attendance:  15,000  ACBL representatives will promote new School Bridge Lesson Series materials to teachers and administrators in hopes of increasing the number of students in our school programs.

 

AARP Convention  Las Vegas, N. V.  October 14 – 16

Estimated attendance:  18,000  The ACBL returns to this annual event where last year we distributed more than 3,000 Learn to Play Bridge CDs to this active group of traveling seniors.

 

SPECIAL EVENTS CORNER:

NORTH AMERICAN PAIRS

JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST

By now all club managers should have received their NAP packets.  Please take time to:

 

We expect this to be a very successful event.  Please call or e-mail the Special Events Department is you have any questions at specialevents@acbl.org or

901-332-5586, Ext. 1286

 

JULY

ACBL – WIDE INTERNATIONAL FUND GAME #3 with Hand Records

ACBL – WIDE INTERNATIONAL FUND WEEK  #3  Shuffle & Deal

 

Call Special Events to make sure your club is sanctioned to hold these events.  The International Fund Game with Hand Records and Analysis will take place on Friday evening, July 9, 2004.  The Shuffle & Deal Week is July 5 – 11, 2004.  Sanction Fees are $5 for Shuffle & Deal and $7 for Hand Records.

 

SEPTEMBER

INSTANT MATCHPOINT GAME

This highly popular gold point game will be held on Thursday evening, September 9, 2004.  One gold masterpont will be awarded to top section winners.  Sanction fees are $11 per table.

 

49erPAIRS

In September, players with 50 or fewer masterpoints will compete throughout North America.  All bridge clubs are invited to participate.  This game does not have to be sanctioned.  Game material and instructions will be mailed out in early August.  The pair(s) with the highest percentage score in each district will be listed on the ACBL web site and in The Bridge Bulletin.

 

 

LEARN!   PLAY!   JOIN!

Welcome to ACBL NEW WEB SITE

Notice something a bit different about the ACBL web site?

Visit us at www.acbl.org and take some time to click around and see what’s news.

 

BRIDGE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Brochure templates now available

This is a great marketing tool and can be used for distribution to local chamber of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus or public events.

 

For information on Bridge in Your Neighborhood brochures for your area, please contact the ACBL Marketing Department at 901-332-5586, Ext. 1357 or via e-mail at marketing@acbl.org.

 

GOODWILL DAY – MONDAY, JULY 12   WHEREEVER YOU ARE

Goodwill Day is celebrated the first Monday of each NABC, and the ACBL Goodwill Committee hopes that clubs will celebrate on these days as well.

A club might host a party for players who are members of the ACBL Goodwill Committee from their areas, hand out “Smiley Face” stickers with each director call to remind players to spread goodwill, or eve – in honor of the day in the “Big Apple”---serve an all-apple snack. 

Goodwill Day will be celebrated again on Monday, November 22, 2004 during the FALL NABC IN ORLANDO.