Unit 223 Welcomes New Members:  David W Williams (O’Fallon)

CONGRATULATIONS to the many members who have achieved new ACBL levels:

     New Junior Master:  Mary M Willenborg (Effingham)

     New Life Masters:  Judith A Wagner (Belleville), Joyce Clark (Marion)

     New Bronze Life Master:  Janet K Little (Wood River)

2017 Helen Shanbrom Ace of Clubs Standings

0 to 5 Masterpoint Race:  Arlinda Pitman (Edwardsville), Margaret Lynn ( Lawrenceville), John Svoboda ( Princeton), Tisha Kasiar (Eldorado), Carolyn Stacker (East St. Louis)

5 to 20 Masterpoint Race:  Al Wentz (Edwardsville), LaVaughn Watson (Paducah), Joan Wentz (Edwardsville), Rocky Eveans (Brighton), Richard Jeffries (West Frankfort)

20 to 50 Masterpoint Race:  Carl Edwards (Benton KY), Bonnie Poynor (Hickman), Janet Eveans (Brighton),  Mayme Moran (Paducah), Brenda Ford (Highland)

50 to 100 Masterpoint Race:  Sue Peck (Paducah), George Ballhausen (Swansea), Judy Neel (Belleville), Harriet Davis (Marion IL), Pamela Pearson (Marion IL)

100 to 200 Masterpoint Race:  Sterling Dare (O’Fallon), Linda Key (O’Fallon), Donna Swick (Newton), Sheron Meyer (Belleville), Donna Howell (Fulton)

200 to 300 Masterpoint Race:  David Dorfman (O’Fallon), Pamela Dorfman (O’Fallon), Richard Thompson (Fulton), David Stein (Carlyle), Jean Hoagland (Carbondale)

300 to 500 Masterpoint Race:  Scott Weber (Edwardsville), Marianna Weber (Edwardsville), Vicki Valley (Edwardsville), Judith Wagner (Belleville), Janet Little (Wood River)

500 to 1000 Masterpoint Race:  Pamela Ames (Maryville), Kadie Davis (Maryville), Douglas Snow (Paducah), Donna Murphy (Worden), James Brazier (Moro)

1000 to 1500 Masterpoint Race:  Donald Klingsick (Edwardsville), Gail Dare (O’Fallon), Dennis Bristol (Ledbetter), Elaine Sigler (Highland), Judith Shepherd (Paducah)

1500 to 2500 Masterpoint Race:  Dennis Rose (Boaz), Robert Cundall (Collinsville), Ray Sigler (Highland), Paul Quayle (Gilbertsville), Tommy Wynn (Paducah)

2500 to 3500 Masterpoint Race:  Jane Baker (Paducah), Ronald Brockman (Paducah), Ralph Rotter (Granite City), Fran Russell (Paducah), Larry Lemon (Mayfield)

3500 to 5000 Masterpoint Race:  Julia Rambo (Mayfield), Jo Echols (Paducah), Richard Brummer (Effingham), Marcia Darnell (Murray), Douglas Edwards (Almo)

2017 Mini-McKenney Standings

0 to 5 Masterpoint Race:  Arlinda Pitman (Edwardsville), Margaret Lynn (Lawrenceville), Nancy Mathews (Edwardsville)

5 to 20 Masterpoint Race:  Al Wentz (Edwardsville), John Asunskis (Belleville), Joan Wentz (Edwardsville)

20 to 50 Masterpoint Race:   Linda Asunskis (Belleville), Bonnie Poynor (Hickman), Carl Edwards (Benton KY)

50 to 100 Masterpoint Race:  Sue Peck (Paducah). Judy Neel (Belleville), George Ballhausen (Swansea)

100 to 200 Masterpoint Race:  Linda Key (O’Fallon), Sheron Meyer (Belleville), Janet Jones (Harrisburg)

200 to 300 Masterpoint Race:  David Stein (Carlyle), Joyce Clark (Marion IL), Mary Shaw (Carlinville)

300 to 500 Masterpoint Race:  Judith Wagner (Belleville), Vicki Valley (Edwardsville), Barbara Constance (Belleville)

500 to 1000 Masterpoint Race:  Paul Bridges (Swansea), Pamela Ames (Maryville), Kadie Davis (Maryville)

1000 to 1500 Masterpoint Race:  Gail Dare (O’Fallon), Donald Klingsick (Edwardsville), Judith Shepherd (Paducah)

1500 to 2500 Masterpoint Race:  Dennis Rose (Boaz), Robert Cundall (Collinsville), Roseann Stice (East Alton)

2500 to 3500 Masterpoint Race:  Jane Baker (Paducah), Ronald Brockman (Paducah), Ralph Rotter (Granite City)

3500 to 5000 Masterpoint Race:  Richard Brummer (Effingham), Julia  Rambo (Mayfield), Jo Echols (Paducah)

NEW LIFE MASTERS 

Judy Wagner tells of her bridge experiences before becoming a Life Master:

It feels strange to write about my bridge experience. I started playing honeymoon bridge at seven. I spent a week every year with my aunt and since she didn’t know what to do with me, we played honeymoon bridge. My mother then taught me auction and later contract bridge.

I played party bridge for about 18 years. After that club disbanded, I didn’t play for another fifteen years. I did read the bridge column in the newspaper daily. Someone was desperate for a warm body and asked me to sub at a party bridge club in 2011. One of their players who was there asked me to play duplicate with her. I took a few lessons and became hooked.  I started playing once a week and when my husband died in 2012, I started to play two and three times a week plus local tournaments.

Last year I “ran for the gold” and finished up with the Indianapolis tournament in January of this year. My regular partner, who is a 25/300 player, became a Life Master in December.

Joyce Clark talks about her quest to be a Life Master:

My interest in playing cards began when my parents had whist parties and always let me play a few hands. I loved playing, so when I had the opportunity to play bridge in college, I was happy to learn.

It wasn’t until the late 1990’s that I started to play duplicate bridge once a week in the winter. It was much later that I played more frequently due to having more games in the area. I loved the game, but never thought about becoming a life master.

It wasn’t until the Effingham Regional in 2016 when I got 4.65 gold points with my partner, Janet Jones, that I thought that I could actually reach my goal. Then in February of 2017, my partners and I earned even more gold points in a tournament in Bradenton, FL. I played knock-outs with Janet Jones and Jim and Marilyn Storch. I also played Swiss Teams with Marilyn, Jim and my husband, Ron.  In February, 2018 at the same Bradenton tournament, IT HAPPENED!