Gary Hercules

Gary Hercules has been volunteering in a variety of capacities since 2007. He has helped whenever asked or wherever needed including participation at numerous tournament set-ups, tear downs, working at the partnership or hospitality table, and taking inventory of our unit’s supplies.

As our Unit Treasurer for over seven years, Gary donated his accounting services for the benefit of our unit, making himself available without hesitation throughout his tenure, managing our unit’s treasury (which took countless volunteer hours monthly) and attending most every board meeting.

Previously honored for his good-natured way as a District 16 Unit Goodwill recipient, we now bestow the District Star Award to Gary Hercules with appreciation.

Martha Young

If there ever was a definitive jack-of-all-trades, it is truly Martha Young. The woman can do anything - she is dynamic, persuasive, relentless and passionate when pursuing whatever goals she sets. She served two terms on the board of directors holding the offices of vice president, secretary and two of those years as a singularly incredible president.

She personally built the Learn Bridge in a Day program; lobbied for the online Scorecard in order to save the Unit money; created a workbook outlining all the procedures for running our sectionals; developed a calendar for what the board needed to do and when to do it; wrote the Unit news column for the Scorecard her first year on the board. The woman is the quintessential organizer. Martha loves people and was instrumental gathering her friends and acquaintances into our volunteer fold. She is truly a star and we are so proud to name her as the 2022 District Star Award recipient.

Kim Brinkman

Kim Brinkman for a number of years has been the strength and stability and the heart and soul of the Denton Bridge Studio. She has enthusiastically promoted bridge in her role as Studio Manager, while serving on Unit committees and various assignments for the District including planning and directing a beginners' online game for district players with 0-50 points. While teaching, directing, and organizing NLM tournaments, she has rapidly risen through the playing ranks supporting tournaments throughout the United States. We are happy to recognize Kim for her major contributions to bridge and Unit 183.

Our nominee for the District Star is Mary Anne Wilkinson. Her story - she is a native of Corpus Christi. She attended Northwestern U. where she was a Delta Gamma, important because she started to learn to play party bridge at the sorority house. She majored in Spanish, returning to Corpus Christi after graduation to teach and continue to play bridge. She attended the University of Illinois for a Master of Arts in Spanish and a Ph.D in Spanish Linguistics. She returned to Corpus Christi again to teach at CC State University continuing to play bridge with friends. Mary Anne also worked at the Education Service Center, Region 2, and in central administration at CC ISD. After working with Austin ISD as the magnate director at Fulmore Middle School she returned to Corpus Christi with partner Bill Samelson.

Mary Anne and Bill upgraded their bridge by playing with Bill's mother Chris Samelson, a longtime life master in CC, approximately 20 hours a week for 3 years. She and Bill joined there So. Texas Bridge Assn. Unit 187 in 2019 and worked diligently to learn duplicate bridge. Mary Anne has over 400 MP's although her rank is still NABC Master. The next level is very close.

Mary Anne is a very valued member of our club. She serves as President and as a member of the Board of Directors of South Texas Bridge Assn. She has passed the Directors Test and is also a participating director of games at the club. She plays regularly in CC, in Rockport and on BAND. We feel she certainly is deserving of the District Star.

Leanne Thornberry

I am so glad I did not learn to play bridge in college as my husband did. I might have never graduated. He wanted me to learn and I went to a class. The second night, the instructor yelled at me. I never went back, but got a bridge book. I played party bridge with a group that wanted to continue to improve. I started playing duplicate, joined ACBL, and went to a couple of tournaments, but with the start of a family did not play until the kids were grown. On a TransAtlantic cruise, I played and was hooked. My husband did not want to play but his hunting buddy wanted to try duplicate and we started playing once a week as we were both still working. After retirement I attended some classes and when asked if I would teach a beginners class, I wanted to help build back attendance at our club. I am sure I have learned a lot more than my fluctuating students. Changing my approach with teaching by doing and continually reteaching the basics, we have increased our 299er group, thus increasing our club attendance—my original objective.

Lane Galloway is a retired software architect living in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico. His parents taught him bridge during a blackout when he was a boy; sometimes he still feels like he is playing in the dark. He took up duplicate about 25 years ago and is currently a Silver Life Master. Formerly a member of the Unit Board in Seattle, Lane is currently the Club Manager for the Lake Chapala Duplicate Bridge Club. No one has worked harder than Lane since the pandemic started in March of 2020 to keep bridge alive at the Lake Chapala Club. Lane was also recognized as ACBL's 2021 Goodwill Member of the Year.

BJ Sanders

Along with husband, Mark, BJ Sanders came to Bridge via mentoring from two amazing people, Audrey and Ken Kennedy, who gave the Sanders a 9-page handout that taught Goren and Strong Twos. Through Audrey's prodding BJ sought out the local Duplicate Bridge Club in Austin, contacted Larry Davis in 2005, and the rest has been an amazing journey.

BJ has served on the Bridge Center of Austin Board as Secretary, taught and directed a Beginner's Bridge game as well as a Saturday Night Bridge game, worked with San Antonio to create the short-lived "I-35 Cup," hosted Mike Lawrence twice as he came and taught in Austin, and most recently Chaired, along with an amazing Team, the Fall 2021 NABC in Austin, which was the first NABC held since the outbreak of Covid19. She also is the Unit 207 Representative on the District 16 Board and a member of the ACBL Goodwill Committee.

BJ and Mark love locating the local Bridge Club whenever they travel both home and abroad. They have met and played with many folks in the US as well as Italy, the Canary Islands, Rio de Janeiro, and, of course, in Mexico.

Sandra O'Bannon is Unit 225’s recipient of the District Star Award for 2022. Sandra has been serving as Treasurer for Unit 225 during the past 4 years. During this time, she undertook the arduous task of having our state tax exemption status reinstated. This process involved hours researching archives for past income tax documents, consulting with a CPA to submit the proper documentation, and numerous phone calls with various state and federal tax entities. Reinstating the Unit’s tax-exempt status will save the Unit thousands of dollars in the future. Beyond the job of Treasurer, Sandra has served as Chair of Nominating Committee, Co-Chair of the 2019 Tournament of Roses, Hospitality Chair, Awards Subcommittee, and others. And while accomplishing all this, Sandra achieved her Life Master in 2021. Sandra’s willing spirit serves the Unit and her clubs in a myriad of ways. She is very deserving of the District Star Award for Unit 225.

Tom Corlett is the driving force behind the Sul Ross Bridge Clubs in Waco, Texas. He has kept the environment safe during the COVID-19 virus, making sure everyone was safe and that they had a safe place to play Bridge.

Tom has been a mentor for both Waco and Temple players. He traveled from Waco to Temple several years on Wednesday to play at the CAC mentoring new players. He has chaired the Waco Tournament in the past and he has been a supporter of local tournaments and through the years he has supported the Regional Tournaments.

Through out the years he has received many awards including the Oswald and James Jacoby Award in 2010. He teaches Bridge on Friday at Sul Ross. Tom encourages players to become Directors and helps guide them in making the right decisions. He has worked with committees for District 16 Board.