"The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not."

- John Adams, July 3, 1776

This quote is an excerpt from John Adams’ letter to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776. The emotions of this sharp-witted founding father speak of the momentous occasion. Adams believed that July 2, 1776, would be the date to mark and celebrate forever our Declaration of Independence. Although the official date comes later, Americans have celebrated their country’s birth date, and have followed Adams’ advice ever since. Adams bore witness to, and was part of, the American dream for freedom. He was an example of how the new nation would carry on after the war by becoming our first vice-president, and our second president. Adams’ eloquent words put the historical significance of American independence, and the consequence for failure if it was not achieved, into focus.

Although the Second Continental Congress made its decree for freedom on July 2, 1776, no one signed the Declaration of Independence. Congress did sign the Lee Resolution, named for Virginian Richard Henry Lee, on July 2. This resolution contained three parts: separation from the British Crown, a call to form foreign alliances, and a plan for confederation. Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, July 4, 1776, and the alarm for freedom was sounded at Independence Hall with the Liberty Bell. Americans rejoiced as word spread throughout the newly declared independent states. Although independence had been declared, delegates of the Continental Congress had not yet inked their signatures onto the document. On August 2, 1776, when most delegates signed the Declaration of Independence, it became official.

Unfortunately, Americans were getting good and bad news at the same time. British troops were making landfall in New York as the Liberty Bell rang in Philadelphia. At that point, American and British forces already had been engaged in armed conflict for fifteen months. On July 9, 1776, General George Washington, while concentrating troops in New York City, ordered the Declaration of Independence read aloud to his men. He hoped that they would find new meaning in the war for independence.

In 1777, the British occupied the capital city of Philadelphia while Washington and his men struggled through a brutal winter at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Nearly two thousand of Washington’s twelve thousand men died during that winter encampment. The Continental Army was hardened by the experience, and gained even greater resolve in the campaign to defeat the British. For the next four years, Americans would fight battle after battle against the mightiest military on earth.

Thanks to the military leadership of Washington, and the combined efforts of the French Navy and Washington's good friend and ally General Marquis de Lafayette, the British surrendered after the Siege of Yorktown on October 19, 1781. The fight for independence was over. The Treaty of Paris, signed between the United States and Great Britain on September 3, 1783, made it official. The United States had become a sovereign and independent nation after six years of valor and sacrifice.

--National Park Service

Beginning Monday, June 25: Upgraded masterpoint awards at the VBBC!
Upgraded points will be awarded in all face-to-face games at the VBBC June 25 thru July 10!

 Face-to-face games on Tuesday & Thursday afternoons have resumed.
 We need your support to continue these games this summer. 

ACBL has relaxed their guest policy so if you would like to invite a non-VBBC member to partner with you in our BBO virtual games please call the VBBC and we will happily add them to the roster. However, we need advanced notice so the BBO system will have time to reset. 

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Saturday @ 10:15:   0-299, 0-750, and Open Pairs
 Sunday @ 1:15:  0-750 and Open (Speedball) Pairs ($5)

SUPPORT GAMES AT YOUR MEMBER-OWNED CLUB!
We offer face-to-face games each weekday! 
Join us Monday thru Friday @ 1 p.m.
The 1st Saturday of each month is a 0-1000 Swiss Teams game and the 2nd Saturday of each month is 8-is-Enough Swiss Teams! 
 

If your bridge game needs a tune-up, register for this course!

Classes will meet July 7, 11, 14, 28.
$60

Refresh your bidding, declarer play, and defense and play lots of hands in this new course!

Call Natalie at the VBBC, 772-562-3008, to enroll.

 

Congratulations to the winning team for May!
From left: Bob Dekar, Julie Malone, Migdalia O'Leary, Bill Capodagli

Join us Saturday, July 2 @ 1 p.m. for the next 0-1000 Swiss Teams game!

8-is-Enough Swiss Teams

Saturday, July 9 @ 1 p.m. @ the VBBC (2nd Saturday of each month)

Charity Game - upgraded masterpoints awarded!

If you have 0-1000 masterpoints, you are a 1

If you have 1001-2500, you are a 2

If you have 2500+ you are a 3

Combine each player's "points" (from above) and if the total is 8 or less, your four players can be a team!

The June 8-is-Enough Swiss Team winners are pictured below:

Helga Woodard, Sue McQuillan, Virginia Weeks, Gloria Sinni

Want to see your picture here next month?

Need help finding teammates? See Jan Weber or Boots Van Nostrand.

Congratulations to Janet Goodhue (left) and Christine Matus (right) who won the 2022 Mentoring Championship game!

Many thanks to all the mentors who gave their time to be a mentor and special thanks to Boots VanNostrand who organized the program again this year!

Congratulations to Peggy Laurencelle and Sarita Johnston who placed FIRST OVERALL in the Open game January 19 with 62.20%!
Peggy is Sarita's mentor this year in the VBBC's Mentoring Program. 
Way to go, ladies! Keep up the good work! 
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*** IMPORTANT NOTICE ***
The VBBC has reopened for fully vaccinated players!
Fully vaccinated means you have had both shots and the booster shot (Moderna or Pfizer) or one injection of Johnson & Johnson at least two weeks prior to attending a game.

S. B. 2006, Section 18. 381.00316 COVID-19 vaccine documentation. (1) A business entity, as defined in s. 768.38 to include any business operating in this state, may not require patrons or customers to provide
any documentation certifying COVID-19 vaccination or post-infection recovery to gain access to, entry upon, or service from the business operations in this state. 

If you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, we would appreciate you not coming to the Club for the safety and health of our members and guests, many of whom are up in age and/or who have compromised immune systems. 
We also recommend the wearing of a well-fitting mask while inside the VBBC.

 
Barbara Seagram has a wonderful video library of bridge seminars on various topics. She is again offering VBBC members and guests her
video presentation and 16 page handout on Defending Against the Opponents’ No-trump Contracts. Barbara reviews standard leads against NT,
 when to overtake, when to duck, second and third hand play, and  many more important concepts on defense.
Barbara’s Two-over-one video that many of you purchased and raved about was excellent and we know that you will benefit tremendously
with more competitive defense strategies covered in this video.
  You may register and pay the $15 fee here. We will then email the video and handouts to you and you can watch it and re-watch it at your convenience. 
Barbara is one of the premier bridge teachers and authors in the world. She and her husband, Alex, are VBBC members and we are very appreciative of their generosity in offering these videos.
We hope you will enjoy this new format in learning. We ask that you not “share” the videos as Barbara is generously donating a portion of the proceeds to the VBBC.

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We are so very grateful to Barbara Seagram for the OPENING LEADS zoom seminar she presented for the VBBC!
Taking a bridge lesson on Zoom is much different from sitting at a card table with 3 other people but, as always, Barbara was enthusiastic, informative, precise, and entertaining!
The lesson was excellent  and we were very fortunate to benefit from Barbara's extraordinary teaching and generosity in donating the proceeds of the class to the VBBC.
We thank Barbara and YOU for your participation.
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