December Newsletter 2010
                        Fort Dodge Duplicate Bridge Club


     Happy holiday season to you all.  In December, the club holds its annual
Christmas party game.  This will also be the event for our annual local
charity game.  The charity selected this year is the Senior Campus which
provides us our playing quarters.  The Senior Campus and its director Kim
Wolfe are most hospitable landlords.  We are most fortunate to have a quality
place to hold our games with a director who is very amenable to our holding
special games and events.  The Christmas party/game will be held on Friday,
December 17 with the customary 6:30 p.m. game time.  The pre-game party will
begin at 5:45 p.m.  It will be a draw-a-partner affair and so, you will not
need to get a partner that night.  It is hoped that all of our club members
will attend.  As an appreciation for our club members, there will be no
entry fee that night.  We do ask for a free-will donation which will be given
to the Senior Campus.  Rather than having a catered affair, we ask our
players to bring something for the hospitality table.  During the month of
December, we will be inquiring what you will be bringing so that the food
table will have an organized variety of delectables on it.  This is always
a most festive and happy affair in which all of our club's players will want
to participate.  Be sure to set aside December 17 on your reminder calendar.
 
    At the last board of directors meeting, Virgie Andre reported on a
new method of instruction at the Tuesday night novice game.  She reported
that the student players themselves are picking a topic and presenting the
lesson themselves to the other students/players.  This is much like
seminar classes that are conducted many times in graduate school classes.
This learning technique is most beneficial to the student-teacher and the
other students alike.  We congratulate Virgie and the Tuesday night novice
group for this creative methology of instruction.

    Also at the board meeting, it was decided to keep the 6:30 p.m. start 
time for our Friday and Monday night games.  A majority of our players were
in favor of this and for a few it didn't matter if it were 6:30 or 7:00.
There were one or two players who because of other late afternoon commit-
ments will be unable to play.  It was decided, however, that the overall
benefits of starting earlier outweighed the later start time.

     If the number of students warrants, there will be beginning bridge
classes starting Tuesday, January 18.  At least 4 students are needed to
hold the class and 2 or 3 have already shown an interest. If you have
friends or family members who would be interested be sure to let them
know, and tell a director or board member who will contact them to give
specific details of the class.  The class will run for 8 consecutive
Tuesday nights with a start time of 7:00 p.m.  The class will cost $25
which covers the 8 instructional nights, the textbook, and coffee and
refreshments.    

     There will be 5 Unit Championships in December.  Three on Monday nights
and 2 on Friday nights.  You can check the December calendar of events
to see the specific nights.

     Both December 25 and January 1 fall on a Saturday this year.  There will
not be Friday night games on December 24 or December 31.  All other games
will meet on their customary days and times.

     Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.