BIG GAMES:  ACBL considers a game of 75% or higher a big game 

Mike Mihevc and Richard Hartz November 2, 2023  5 tables, 27 boards  75.46%

On May 11 we celebrated the 90+ year birthdays for Joe Grimaldi, Marilyn Keehle and Stanley Shapiro.  Best wishes for many more!

Here is the link that will take you to a picture of Pam as well as the other winners in our district.  https://4acbl.org/2023/12/31/2024-d4-goodwill-charity-committee-appointees/

This is the write up that ACBL sent us announcing the award.

Pam Cuda chaired the Mohawk Valley Bridge Association’s (MVBA) first-ever Longest Day fundraising event. She encouraged our players to participate in the local bridge game held to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association and advocated for the MVBA to match contributions. As a result of her efforts, the MVBA raised $620. A photograph from that Longest Day game is in the October 2023 Bridge Bulletin (page 14).

Pam is the secretary of the Mohawk Valley Bridge Association and is a representative on the Unit 112 Board of Directors.  She volunteers her time to teach beginning bridge players at the Parkway Senior Center. She has also taught beginning bridge players as part of the Mohawk Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement. She encourages her students to join the ACBL and to play in our local sanctioned game.

Pam’s Thoughts:
Learning bridge was a goal after retiring from teaching about 20 years ago, so I joined Mohawk Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement (MVILR) to take lessons. I loved the game from the beginning!  After a couple of years of lessons and practicing in home games with fellow students, I took the leap to play in my first duplicate game with the Mohawk Valley Bridge Association (MVBA).

MVBA was a friendly and supportive place. Members stepped up to give lessons to improve play and I was encouraged to join ACBL. Shortly later I was asked to become a MVBA Board member and secretary, to participate in holding a Utica sectional, to become a Unit 112 Board member, and to chair the local Longest Day.  I’ve even gone back to MVILR to encourage a new group of people to begin playing. It’s all been a great journey. My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner!