HAPPY HOLIDAYS
11-21-07

I hope that everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving. For those who are traveling to San Francisco for the Fall Nationals, good luck and return home safely !!!

As we are now into the last few weeks of the year, it is a good time to reflect on our accomplishments and look to see what lies ahead.

All in all, the club has had a successful year. Here’s a review of some of the highlights:

• We revised and ratified our Club By-Laws (thanks again to Becky Price and the rest of the By-Laws Review Committee for a job well done).
• Our Annual Sectional Tournament was another huge success - the 2nd best tournament for ADBC in 11 years (congratulations on a superb job by our Tournament Chair - Dee Berg - and the MANY others who devoted their time and efforts to help make this event such a terrific one).
• We purchased and installed upgraded computers and printers for the Club - no one has complained that they miss the noise from the old dot matrix printers !! (Thanks Roy Booth & son, Tom Moore, and Bill White.)
• Many successful special events were held including “Spring Training”, an El Doce de Mayo party, a Hot Dog Cook-In, an Ice Cream Social, 8 is Enough team event, and - of course - Back To School with Professor Hillaker.
• The 8 is Enough event was a huge success with 27 teams in play. This event will return - by popular demand - sometime in February 2008. Watch for details !
• ADBC again hosted the Unit NLM Sectional which was well attended this year and considered a success by both the Unit Board and the players who participated.
• We remembered our Club’s past by honoring our charter members and past presidents and Board members during our Club Unity game in November.
• New chairs were purchased so that we can have 30 tables in play simultaneously using only two styles of matching chairs.

Regarding education and club growth initiatives, there have been two successful mentoring programs this year - one session in the Spring and another in the Fall that is still ongoing. A new EasyBridge! I program began in September and will continue through next month and briefly into 2008. It will be followed immediately by EasyBridge! II. These sessions take place on Wednesday evenings, and are presented by Glen Terrell, Helen Nelson, and Mary Ellen Stanton. Plans are underway to start another set of new EasyBridge! I classes beginning in February on Tuesday evenings. These classes will be presented by Dorothy Moore. Dorothy also has plans to start a new series of beginning lessons in the daytime beginning in February. Watch for details on all of these programs. If you know of anyone - in your family, church, neighborhood, etc. who you think would enjoy learning to play bridge, please encourage them to check out the various classes and learning opportunities that ADBC offers !!!

While our attendance and table count are up year-to-date, we have started to see a slight overall decline recently. Our morning games are struggling a bit, and some of our evening games are not as robust as they once were. The Board is already starting to look at some options that can help turn these trends around. We are always open to suggestions on things that can be done to bolster attendance and improve the Club for all concerned. Please let us know what we can do to ensure that ADBC is the best place around to play bridge !!! Financially, we have continued to meet or exceed our goals of breaking even on a monthly basis while continuing to make needed improvements and investments in our club.

Please plan on attending our annual Club Christmas Party on Saturday, December 8th: (Lunch at Noon - Club will provide turkey & dressing; please bring side dishes and desserts; ADBC members play free !!! - game at 1 PM.)

On behalf of the Board, we wish you and your families and friends a joyous holiday season. We hope to see you at ADBC often in the coming months, enjoying our many games and special events.

Caron

Autumn Club Update
09-26-07

As we move from the summertime into the Fall, here’s a note to bring everyone up to date on what has been happening at the Club and what is planned for the remainder of the year.

The Club’s financial performance and status remain strong based on our reports through the end of August. Table count trends also remain very positive as the 2007 year-to-date table count is 428 tables higher than it was at the same time in 2006. We can expect this trend to continue as the new EasyBridge session is in full swing, and the strong attendance to date has already necessitated that we re-configure the East playing room to accommodate a steady 15-16 tables !! Great job Glen & Helen, and a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the early success of this program by assisting with the advertising and marketing efforts.

The "8 is Enough" special Swiss team event held at the club in August was a huge success with 27 teams in play !!! A good time was had by all, and we promise that the point awards will be higher for our next team game at the club!! Congratulations and gratitude are owed to the GIC and all of those who helped publicize and support this superb event. We will plan on repeating this event and format sometime early next year (as soon as Tom and Dorothy recover from the first one!).

The Fall mentoring program has also begun, with 23 mentor-mentee pairs participating. The mentoring pairs are invited to attend bi-monthly special sessions on Tuesday evenings sponsored by the Mentoring Committee as well as monthly sanctioned Saturday games held exclusively for the mentoring pairs. And of course we hope the mentoring pairs will participate in as many ADBC games as they can !!

Congratulations to ADBC members Connie Booth, Roy Booth, and Helen Nelson who attained Life Master status at the recent Labor Day Regional Tournament in Richardson. Well done!!! We will formally celebrate your achievement at the 749er game on Thursday, October 11th.

Many thanks to our own Professor Hugh Hillaker for his informative and enthusiastic “Back to School” presentation at the club earlier this month. Adorned in mortarboard and scholarly robes, Hugh had some great bridge tips to offer, and was his usual energetic and entertaining self. If you missed this event, you missed something special. Thanks Hugh !!!

Thanks are also due to Roy Booth and Chuck Burke who helped us preserve club funds and cleaned all of the club’s carpeted areas with rental equipment. It looks great, guys! Please - everyone - do your part to help us keep the club and the carpet clean and looking nice. It helps a lot if we clean up spills quickly !!

Success and club growth bring some challenges which we are happy to have. It has been apparent in several instances recently that we were short on suitable chairs for our most well attended events. Roy was able to find some very nice padded folding chairs at Sam’s at a reasonable price, so we purchased enough chairs to add to our current green chairs so that 30 tables can be in play using these two types of matching chairs. The old, brown chairs were donated to a charitable outreach program to free up space for our new ones.

While we have been emphasizing programs for newer bridge players in the recent past to help grow and strengthen our club, we realize that we owe so much to the players and board members who contributed to the establishment and early successes of ADBC. To help us recognize these important individuals, please plan on joining us at our Club Unity Game on Saturday, November 3rd (see below). Also see the website and future fliers for more details.

Please mark your calendars for these upcoming special events at the club:

• Saturday, October 6th - Club Appreciation Swiss teams! 5% Gold points awarded to winners! Lunch at noon - meat provided by the club. Please bring sides & desserts. Team game at 1 PM.
• Saturday, November 3rd - 2007 ADBC Club Unity Game. Special recognition for our charter members, past presidents and board members, and longtime players and members. Potluck lunch at noon; stratified pairs game at 1 PM.
• Saturday, December 8th - Annual Club Christmas Party. Full lunch provided by the Club at noon; stratified pairs game at 1 PM and ADBC members play free !!! Mark your calendar now for this event!!!

Thanks to all of you whose hard work and varied efforts help make the club so successful. And thanks to all of the players who continue to play at ADBC as often as possible.

Caron

Mid-Summer Club Update
7-26-07

I hope that everyone is having an enjoyable summer as we have been blessed with milder temperatures and rainy conditions for a change !!! Here’s a note to bring everyone up to date on what has been happening at the Club, and to let you know about some of our planned upcoming events.

After a review of the Club’s financial reports for the first six months of the year, I am pleased to report that our financial position and our trends remain very positive. Remember that the basic financial strategy of ADBC, a non-profit organization, is to operate as close to "break even" as possible on a month-to-month basis while beefing up the club coffers each year with our annual sectional tournament proceeds. Anything we are able to accomplish that surpasses these objectives can be considered a success.

Some of the interesting information at this mid-year point includes:

• June 2007 monthly net income was $1149.40.
• Year to date (YTD) table count is up 355.7 tables over 2006.
• At the end of June 2007, YTD Net Income was $7977.40, compared to a YTD loss of ($7000.67) at the same point in 2006. This is an improvement of $14,978.07, but it should be noted that the club incurred some extraordinary expenses in 2006 related to the relocation. That notwithstanding, we are holding our own in spite of much higher rent, higher variable expenses, and an improved compensation plan for our game directors.
• The club has saved about $1000 year-to-date by converting the Friday evening game from TGIF to a pot-luck dinner.

To continue doing well, we must keep our table counts up and expenses down. So please continue to play lots and lots of bridge at ADBC and help us minimize our controllable costs (such as our electricity usage).

Plans for the upcoming fall EasyBridge! program are final, and the marketing blitz is in full swing!! Thousands of colorful flyers announcing the upcoming session have been produced, and everyone is encouraged to take some flyers, along with the furnished brochure holders, and display and distribute the EB info wherever it is feasible to do so! Glen and Helen are preparing for a packed house when the program begins on Wednesday evening, September 5th. Let’s all pitch in by assisting with the advertising effort to help make this session a big success.

Also, the details regarding the ADBC Mentoring Program have been finalized. The guidelines for the upcoming Fall session call for mentors to have between 50 and 300 masterpoints and for mentees to have less than 50 points. If you fit into either of these categories, please consider participating in this important program. The kick-off session will be in the East room of the club on Tuesday 9-11-07 with food furnished by the club. Brochures describing this program are also available at the club.

Congratulations to club members Joe and Donna Dean who attained Life Master status at the recent Tulsa, Oklahoma tournament. Good job Joe and Donna!!! We will formally celebrate your achievement soon.

Please mark your calendars for these upcoming special events at the club:

• Saturday, August 11th, "8 Is Enough": Special Swiss Teams game - The club will furnish lunch at noon with the special team event to follow. Flyers are posted at the club and on the website. Attention: "A" flight players (1000+ MPs) - Please take this opportunity to contact some "C" flight and "B" flight players to make up your team. This is an important event, sponsored by the GIC, with the intent of introducing players of different skill levels to one another. Every level of player is an integral part of ADBC. The better we integrate and play together, the more successful our club will be in the long run.
• Saturday, September 8, "Back To School With Professor Hillaker": Join our own "Professor" Hugh Hillaker for a fun and informative day at the bridge table. We will have a pot-luck lunch at noon, followed by open/stratified pairs at 1PM with specially prepared hands. Hugh will give an entertaining and educational analysis of some of the more interesting hands immediately following the session. Let’s have a huge turn-out for this event, and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to hear some of Hugh’s insight into the game.

Thanks to all of you whose hard work and varied efforts help make the club so successful. And thanks to all of the players who continue to play at ADBC as often as possible.

Caron

Club Update
6-22-07

It has been a while since the last Board Message; thank you for your patience and support during this difficult time for my family. Here’s a note to bring everyone up to date on what has been happening at the Club, and to let you know about some of our planned upcoming events.

The Club continues to hold its own in terms of its financial position. May 2007 was virtually a break-even month, and our year-to-date net income is well ahead of last year’s numbers at this point. To continue doing well, we must keep our table count up and expenses down. So please play lots and lots of bridge at ADBC and help us watch the controllable costs (such as our electricity usage).

The Growth Initiatives Committee and the I/N Coordinator have been working together and have decided on our education and growth initiatives for the upcoming Fall. ADBC will again offer EasyBridge! on Wednesday evenings beginning 9-5-07 with Glen Terrell and Helen Nelson repeating as the presenters. Please help spread the word and tell anyone you know who might like to learn the game to consider being a part of this upcoming program. The various mentoring programs that ADBC has sponsored have been a big success in the past, and we will be repeating this program starting with a new session in September. A Mentoring Committee has been appointed to work in conjunction with I/N Coordinator Glen Terrell. Mary Ellen Stanton is the committee chairperson and the other members are Bob Hodges and Pat Duncan. Details are still being finalized for the upcoming Fall session, but the planned approach is for mentors to have between 50 and 300 masterpoints and the mentees to have less than 50 points. If you fit into either of these categories, please consider participating in this important program.

Congratulations to Mike Purkiss who reached Life Master status at the recent Oklahoma City Regional. Good job Mike !!! We will formally celebrate your achievement soon.

On a sad note, we mourn the recent loss of Karen Greer, a frequent ADBC player and extraordinary person, who passed away unexpectedly after a long battle with cancer. She will be greatly missed.

Please mark your calendars for these upcoming special events at the club:

• NAP qualifying games - lots and lots of them - during June/July/August. Check the website for the complete NAP schedule.
• Monday morning games are back for the summer. In addition to the regularly scheduled 2nd and 4th Monday games, we will offer 10 AM open stratified games every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Monday through August 27th.
• Saturday, July 21st, Ice Cream Social: Potluck lunch at noon - bring something "cool" to eat; then enjoy ice cream with all the fixin’s furnished by the club. Stratified pairs game to follow at 1 PM.
• Saturday, August 11th, "8 Is Enough": Special Swiss Teams game - The club will furnish lunch at noon with the special team event to follow. Watch for fliers and all the details.
• Saturday/Sunday, September 15-16: ADBC will be the host facility for the Unit 183 NLM Sectional. We are delighted to be the site chosen for this event again this year. If you are a non-Life Master, please make your plans to attend and support the Unit !

Stay cool this summer - play lots of bridge !!!

Caron

Club Update
4-24-07

Just a note to bring everyone up to date on what has been happening at the Club lately, and to let you know what is on the horizon for us.

The 2007 ADBC Board held its first meeting last week. We welcome our new Board member and Treasurer, Barbara Odom. Also, Peggy McCormick and Ann Overfield have now assumed their new positions as Club Secretary and Calendar/Newsletter chair, respectively.

We begin the new term with a solid financial position, thanks to a stellar year in 2006 and a very successful tournament this past February. The new computer equipment has been received, and one of the workstations is up and running. Roy Booth and his techical support staff (i.e. his son) will soon try to find the time to get the 2nd computer installed and functional. Thanks to Roy, Tom Moore, and Bill White for their work so far in installing the new equipment.

The Board was asked by the Growth Initiatives Committee to explore ways to reward our game directors for growing the club games. Their proposal was reviewed, and an analysis was performed to see what financial impact would occur if various compensation alternatives were implemented. A new director’s fee schedule has been established which provides modest increases in director’s fees to reward directors for achieving and maintaining higher table counts. The director’s fee schedule is part of the "Director’s Duties & Responsibilities" document which is posted at the club. The new fees take effect on 5-1-07.

Peggy McCormick presented the Board with the results from the 2007 Charity selections. The charities that ADBC members have chosen for the club to support this year are: 1) Women’s Shelter; 2) Arlington High School Youth; 3) Meals on Wheels; and 4) Life Shelter. Each of these organizations will receive an initial donation from ADBC, and then each will alternately receive the proceeds from our various club charity games throughout the year. We welcome the Arlington High School Youth organization as a new member on our charity list.

Thanks to all who supported our special "Spring Training" Swiss Teams game held on Saturday April 14th. With 13 teams participating, this was a very successful event. Best wishes to all who will be playing with their teams in the upcoming GNT games.

Please mark your calendars for these upcoming special events at the club:

• StaC week April 23 - 29: Silver points and hand records in the evening games
• "El Doce de Mayo" party Saturday May 12th - Tacos/beverages furnished by the Club - Lunch at noon and stratified pairs game to follow at 1 PM
• Friday June 1 at 7:30 pm and Saturday June 2 at 1 PM: Worldwide Bridge Contest
• North American Pairs Qualifying Games - June/July/August - see website for specific dates
• Hot Dog Cook-Out Saturday June 16th - Doris is cooking "dawgs" for us - Lunch at noon and stratified pairs game to follow at 1 PM.

Thanks to all ADBC members and players for your continued support and participation. You will help us keep our momentum going so we can have yet another great year in 2007.

Caron

Spring Update
3-15-07

It isn’t officially Spring yet according to the calendar, but it’s “close enough” and it surely feels like Spring here in beautiful sunny Texas. I just wanted to bring everyone up to date on what has been happening at the Club lately, and to let you know what is on the horizon for us.

We had a very successful Annual Membership Meeting last weekend; thanks to all who attended and supported that event. With 2 sections and 20 tables in play, it was a great day for the club. The election of officers was held, and we offer our congratulations to the newly elected board members: Doris Doores, Barbara Odom, and Ann Overfield. The new Board will be meeting soon to organize itself into Board positions as we go forward.

I want to reiterate that 2006 was a FANTASTIC year for our club. We successfully met our goals of club growth and financial stability. Table count in 2006 was up 220.5 tables from 2005. And had we not had the extraneous expenses related to our facility relocation, our financial bottom line would have improved by about $12,000 during 2006. At any rate, the club’s financial position remains strong as we begin this calendar year, and we are positioned to be able to take some needed actions going forward.

Our annual Sectional tournament held last month was another huge success - the 2nd best tournament for ADBC in the last 11 years. Thanks to all who supported this event, and to Dee Berg for her usual stellar job as our Tournament Chair. Also, it takes the work of many behind the scenes to make the tournament successful, so a special thanks to all who assisted in a variety of ways.

The Board recently approved the purchase of new computers for the club. I know how much everyone will miss those squawking dot matrix printers, but it is time to upgrade our technology. Roy Booth utilized his son’s expertise and connections in the computer world to get us a fabulous deal on new equipment. We will soon be installing two new computers, monitors, and laser printers at the club, and I know that all directors and players will benefit from this much needed equipment upgrade.

The latest mentoring program is in full swing with mentor-mentee relationships established and special Saturday games planned.

Our next special club event is the “Spring Training” Swiss Teams game to be held on Saturday April 14th. A potluck lunch is planned at noon with the team game beginning at 1 PM. Get your teams together and come train at ADBC to get ready for Grand National Teams or other upcoming tournaments and events.

In addition to club growth and financial stability, another key objective for our club is maintaining a fun place to enjoy the wonderful game of bridge. Along those lines, the Board is asking all players and directors to re-energize their efforts to maintain a Zero Tolerance atmosphere at all ADBC and ADBC-sponsored events. The ACBL Zero Tolerance policy has been printed and posted at the club -- please take the time to review this policy so you can support all of its rules and guidelines. We have also developed and posted a list entitled “The Rules We Follow” at ADBC. In addition to Zero Tolerance, this list addresses the issues of slow play, completed convention cards, late arrivals, and cell phones. This list is posted in a couple of locations at the club. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with these guidelines, and the result will be an improved playing atmosphere for all concerned!

Thanks to all ADBC members and players for all of your support and participation in 2006; I am confident that together we can keep the momentum going and have another great year in 2007.

Caron

Report On Special Membership Meeting & Ratification Of ADBC By-Laws Amendment
1-19-07

As most of you are aware, we successfully held our Special Membership Meeting last Saturday, 1-13-07, to review and vote on the proposed Club By-Laws amendment. Despite difficult weather conditions, the meeting was well attended. The existing By-Laws called for 1/5 of the active membership to be present to constitute a quorum. Of the 118 members on the active roster the morning of 1-13-07, 49 members (or nearly 42%) were present to participate in the meeting and cast a ballot.

The meeting progressed efficiently, and many valid questions, inputs, and motions came forth from the floor. I would like to commend everyone for the high level of participation and discussion as well as the courtesy shown by all involved. The ten major issues on the ballot were discussed one at a time, and motions from the floor relative to two of these items were seconded and passed. Ballots were annotated to show "as amended" for the two items that were changed.

The votes were counted by a team of three ADBC members (Bill White, Jack Muzzio, and Joyce Zachry), none of whom are current Board members or By-Laws Review Committee members. The results showed that the proposed amendment passed, with each of the ten major items carrying by well in excess of the 2/3 required votes (in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order on By-Laws amendments). The following summary shows how the membership voted on the major items. (Note: In some cases there were abstentions, or "non-votes", causing the total number of votes cast for each item to potentially differ.)

On behalf of the Board, I would like to again extend special thanks to the By-Laws Review Committee for their excellent work on this important initiative. (The By-Laws Review Committee was chaired by Becky Price, and included members: Roy Baughman, Melody Gann, Carol Stodgill, Margot Hirsch, Bryan Morgan, and Penny Mixon.) A special thanks also to Roy Baughman for representing the committee at the special meeting and for being an effective spokesperson for them. Lastly, we are indebted to Cary Jennings for his support and assistance throughout the process and for his valuable contributions from a legal perspective during the meeting.

The current version of the By-Laws and appendices are now posted on the ADBC website, and it is the intent of the Board to continue this practice so all members may easily access these important documents. In addition, a hard copy of these documents will be retained at the club for member use.

Thanks to everyone for your participation in this process. I think the By-Laws as amended will provide a solid foundation for ADBC for many years to come.

Caron

HAPPY NEW YEAR
1-02-07

I hope that everyone had a safe and enjoyable Christmas and holiday season. It’s hard to believe, but here we are at the beginning of another new year.

As we reflect on 2006 at ADBC, I believe everyone will agree that we had a stellar year. Some of our important milestones and events:

• We moved into our beautiful new facility !!!
• We held a very successful Grand Opening as we were joined by District 16 President Dewitt Hudson and City Councilwoman Lana Wolff for our red ribbon-cutting ceremony.
• ADBC hosted an ACBL/ABA inter-club event in June and welcomed many ABA players to the studio.
• During the summer, ADBC held special Monday morning games to accommodate the summer shutdown at the Arlington Woman’s Club.
• The club held a special event each month (such as the Jammin’ in July game, the Crazy Topper Party, and the Halloween party). All of these games were well attended and turned out to be great fun for those who participated.
• We joined together throughout the year to celebrate the attainment of Life Master status of several of our members.
• Another successful mentoring program was conducted throughout the Fall months.
• Two new EasyBridge programs were started in September and will continue in 2007.
• The inaugural Bridge Extravaganza was held in October and was a huge success.
• ADBC played host to the Unit Silver Spur Sectional in October, and we received only positive feedback from the Unit regarding readiness and usefulness of ADBC for this event.
• Our Homecoming Game in early November, as conceived by the Growth Initiatives Committee, was a huge success with 21 tables and 3 sections in play.
• The club’s annual Christmas party was a wonderful event with a full 24 tables in play and a feast provided by the Food Committee.
• Throughout the year, table counts were consistently up from the same time periods last year, and this served us well as we settled into our new facility with the expected higher expenses

We pause to remember the Club members who passed away in 2006, and our thoughts and prayers are with our players who lost family members and loved ones in the recent past. May all of us at ADBC continue to band together and provide assistance and support to our members and players and the community as a whole.

As 2007 gets underway, we already have many things awaiting us on the horizon. Some of the notable events include:

• Special Membership Meeting: Saturday, January 13th (to review the proposed amendment to the Club By-Laws) - see website and fliers for details. This meeting is especially important as it involves the review and ratification of the proposed amendment to our Club By-Laws. The By-Laws were last amended in 1998, so it is time to review them and make some needed improvements. A copy of the proposed amendment, with changes highlighted, is available on the website. Look for the hyperlinks within the posted flier to access the various documents electronically. Several hard copies have been placed at the director’s tables at the club for those who do not have internet access. Please take the time to review this information and join us for the meeting and game on the 13th.

  Please note that you must be present on January 13th to vote on the By-Laws amendment. To constitute a quorum, one-fifth of the club’s membership must be present for the vote to occur, and items must receive two-thirds of the votes cast to pass. The Board considered the possibility of allowing absentee voting for this event, and decided NOT to allow it. The reasons behind the decision include:

  • Since one-fifth of the members must be present, allowing absentee voting might have hurt the chances for having a quorum.
  • Because the issues being considered are critical for the future of the club for many years to come, the Board felt that the discussions that may take place at the meeting would be important for members to hear prior to deciding how to vote on the various issues at hand.
  • Should any changes from the floor be made, such changes could render absentee votes inadmissible.
  • There are significant resource issues to be considered if absentee voting is allowed to insure that votes are appropriately submitted, opened, checked for validity, and so forth.

  So please make plans to join us on January 13th and make sure your voice is heard.

• An event and game to commemorate the successful completion of the recent mentoring program will be held January 20th. (Mentors and mentees only.)
• The club will hold a "Souper Bowl" Game on Saturday, February 3rd - details coming soon !!!
• A Director’s Forum will be held on February 10th for all game directors and alternate directors. The forum will be hosted by Caron and Hugh and will focus on club expectations and objectives for our directors. Su Doe will be on hand to provide a technical review as well.
• Everyone please make plans to attend the Arlington Sectional, being held at the Grapevine Convention Center February 23, 24, and 25th. This is our most important source of funds, so plan on playing in this event and spreading the word to others.
• A Nominating Committee will be appointed in January to start selecting candidates to run for the Board at the Annual Membership Meeting in March. Details will be announced, but be sure and let us know if you are interested in running for the Board.

Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, talent, and hard work in 2006 and helped make it such a successful year for ADBC. We need for all of you to continue to volunteer your support and to play at ADBC as much as possible to insure our success in the future. Let’s make 2007 our best year yet!!!

Caron

HAPPY HOLIDAYS
11/28/06

I hope that everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. For those who traveled to Hawaii for the Fall Nationals, welcome back home !!!

Now that our Studio Manager has returned from the Nationals (with fresh gold points in tow), we will return our focus to adding a layer of R19 insulation to the existing R19 insulation in the main playing room before the colder winter months arrive. As stated previously, the cost outlay should be minimal and the return on the expenditure is expected to be quickly realized.

The club had close to a "break-even" month in October, thanks in large part to revenue from both the October Extravaganza and the hosting of the Unit Silver Spur Sectional.
Everyone: Please continue to do your part to bring income into the club (play lots of bridge at ADBC !!!) and keep our costs to a minimum.

The company that installed our carpet came out and made some seam repairs at no charge, and the overall appearance of the carpet is now much improved. We all still need to work together to keep things looking nice by picking up as we go and cleaning up spills as they happen.

An important event was held at ADBC on Saturday, November 4th - our Homecoming Party! The GIC, along with the Hospitality/Membership Committee, coordinated this event, and their hard work translated into a huge success for the club. We had three separate sections in play - an open section, a 299er game, and an EasyBridge! section. I believe we had about 21 tables in play, and we got to see many players that had not played at ADBC in quite some time. Congratulations to the GIC, the Hospitality Committee, the Food Coordinators, and all of those who volunteered their time to help make this day such a successful one. And thanks to all of our regular members who attended and helped make everyone feel welcome on this day. I’m confident that the efforts made on behalf of this event will provide long term benefits for our club.

We have a new feature on our club website - the "Sunshine Corner". We will utilize this site to provide newsworthy information related to club members/players such as special birthday milestones, marriages, info on kids & grandkids, illness & hospitalizations, and so forth. Please give any appropriate details to Club Secretary Ann Overfield for posting on the website.

Please make a special note and plan on attending these important upcoming events:

• Club Christmas Party: Saturday, December 16th: (Club provides lunch at noon; please bring sides and desserts; ADBC members play free !!! - game time 1 PM.)
• New Year’s Eve Party/Game: Sunday evening, December 31st: Details coming soon.
Special Membership Meeting: Saturday, January 13th (to review the proposed amendment to the Club By-Laws) - see website and fliers for details.

The Special Membership Meeting on January 13th is especially important as it involves the review and ratification of the proposed amendment to our Club By-Laws. The By-Laws were last amended in 1998, so it is certainly time to review them and make some needed improvements. A copy of the proposed amendment, with changes highlighted, is now available on the website. Look for the hyperlinks within the posted flier to access the various documents electronically. Several hard copies have been placed at the director’s tables at the club for those who do not have internet access. Please take the time to review this information and ask the Board any questions at the earliest possible time so we are positioned to conduct an effective and time-efficient meeting in January.

On behalf of the Board, we wish you and your families and friends a joyous holiday season. We hope to see you at ADBC often in the coming months, enjoying our many games and special events.

Caron

October 23, 2006

Fall Happenings at ADBC

Just a note to update everyone on some of the ADBC happenings this Fall -------

Our two new EasyBridge! programs are up and running - Wednesday evenings presented by Glen Terrell and Helen Nelson, and Thursday mornings presented by Ann Overfield and Anne Smith. Both of these classes are showing promise and steady attendance, so we are hopeful that we will be able to gain and retain some new members from these groups.

The latest session of the Mentoring Program is also in full swing. Organized by our I/N Coordinator, Glen Terrell, there are more than a dozen active mentor-mentee pairs. The mentors are players with between 80 to 450 MPs, and most mentors in this session have between 100 and 200 MPs. It is good to see that many of our current mentors were once on the other end of the mentoring process -- this kind of evolution in the maturity levels of our players will facilitate future health and growth for our club. Thanks to all mentors and mentees for participating in this important initiative.

ADBC played host to the Unit 183 Non-Life Master Silver Spur Sectional earlier this month. We heard very positive feedback from the participants regarding our facility, and Jay-Jay’s catering during the Sunday Swiss event was a big hit. Thanks to all ADBC members who helped prepare the club for this event and who participated in the tournament itself. We hope to have other opportunities to host similar events at ADBC in the future.

The initial Bridge Extravaganza was held on October 14th, and it was a big success. Chuck Burke and I presented a Two-Over-One workshop, complete with lecture, hand-outs, and various sample hands that were played and analyzed in “double-dummy” format. The club provided a light breakfast, a sandwich line for lunch, and a stratified game followed. We had ten full tables in play, including a foursome from Dallas who heard about this event during the Labor Day Regional and were visiting our club for the first time. A course evaluation yielded very positive responses from the participants; the details were shared with the Board and the Growth Initiatives Committee (GIC). The GIC will be working on the next similar event to be held sometime in early 2007.

Nine full tables of players gathered on Friday October 20th for a special “TGIF” game to show appreciation to Helen Nelson and Doris Doores for their longtime support and contributions to the ADBC TGIF when a meal was provided prior to the game. Thanks again Helen and Doris !!! And remember that Friday evenings are still special at ADBC -- we have a potluck dinner followed by a game at the regular card fee. Come on down !!!

To try to keep our utility costs as low as possible, we successfully switched electricity providers from TXU to Accent Energy. The charge per kilowatt hour used will be substantially reduced, so we are looking for immediate savings by making this switch. Our obligation is for 6 months initially. We will review the results from the new provider, and try to make an educated decision going forward. We are also hoping to add a layer of R19 insulation to the existing R19 insulation in the main playing room before the colder winter months arrive. The cost outlay should be minimal, and the return on the expenditure is expected to be quickly realized.

Our carpeting is showing some premature signs of wear, and the company that installed it has been contacted. They have agreed to make some repairs for us at no charge, particularly where there are problems along the seam lines. The club has invested in a carpet shampooer to help keep the carpet looking as fresh as possible, but please pitch in and help toward that end by picking up as you go and cleaning up spills as they happen.

We have had several ADBC members attain Life Master status recently. Please be sure to congratulate these individuals on their achievement: Peggy McCormick, Ruthie Bracken, Tony Morinello, Bill Gibson, and Mickey Tryon.

An important event is coming up at ADBC on Saturday, November 4th - our Homecoming Party! The GIC, along with the Hospitality/Membership Committee, is coordinating the plans for this, but the key to success lies with all of us as ADBC members! We are trying to reach out to people who have not played at our club in a while, and welcome them back "home" to the club. Please plan on being with us on this date to help make this a successful day and pave the way for continued growth for our club in the future. Full details are on the website and on fliers posted at the club - Lunch at noon (bring sides and desserts), followed by a game at 1 PM. Our new EasyBridge! members have also been invited, and a separate playing section will be set up for them. Please help us make everyone feel welcome on this day, and make them want to return to the club to play on a regular basis.

In conjunction with the Homecoming Party, the Board appointed a Chairperson for the Hospitality/Membership Committee - Georgie Jaeger. Please give Georgie and the other committee chairs and board members your support as we continue to plan and conduct events and activities to benefit the club. To identify the members of the various committees and other key club appointees, check the website. These individuals will always appreciate your ideas and your help !!!

Please make a special note and plan on attending these important upcoming events:

• Trick or Treat Costume Party: Tuesday October 31st at 7 PM; stratified game follows.
• Homecoming Party: Saturday, November 4th (See website and fliers for details.)
• Club Christmas Party: Saturday, December 16th (Club provides lunch; ADBC members play free !!!)
• New Year’s Eve Party/Game: Sunday evening, December 31st: Details coming soon.
• Special Membership Meeting: Saturday, January 13th (to review the proposed amendment to the Club By-Laws) - details forthcoming/this will be a daytime event.

The Special Membership Meeting on January 13th is especially important as it involves the review and ratification of the proposed amendment to our Club By-Laws. The By-Laws were last amended in 1998, so it is certainly time to review them and make some needed improvements. A copy of the proposed amendment, with changes highlighted, will be made available ahead of time so members can review them thoroughly and ask any questions. Look for this material to be available sometime next month, both on the website and in hard copies at the club.

In the meantime, have an enjoyable autumn -- hope to see you at ADBC often, enjoying the many games and special events that are available !!!

Caron

September 6, 2006

GOOD NEWS TO SHARE ----- JULY WAS A GREAT MONTH !!!!

By the time you read this message, Labor Day will be behind us and the official Fall season will be here. I hope everyone who played in the Regional tournament at the Fort Worth Worthington over the holiday weekend had fun and enjoyed good results at the table.

I recently received our Treasurer’s report for the month of July, and there were so many positive things in it that I wanted to share some of the details with our club members and players.

In comparing the monthly numbers from July 2005 to our new numbers from July 2006:

• Table count was up 69 tables for the month. (253.5 versus 322.5)
• Revenue from table fees was up $2597
• In July 2005, there was a loss of ($2425.71); in July 2006, there was a profit of $536.41; yielding an improvement of $2962.12 in monthly net income.
• Since moving to our new facility in March, we have now had two back-to-back profitable months with June and July.

The trends we are seeing are very positive, and the club is prospering in its new location despite higher rent and utility bills. We are now seeing the benefits from some of our special summer initiatives and activities with the special Monday day games and the mentoring program bringing in many additional players on a repeated basis. Thanks to everyone who has supported these programs !!!

I am anxiously waiting to see what we hope is a stellar response to our planned Fall activities which include (2) new EasyBridge! programs, a new mentoring program, our first Bridge Extravaganza on October 14th, a Homecoming Game on November 4th, and other special events still to be finalized.

While things are looking very good right now, we must all continue working together to keep the good results coming in. Everyone: Please continue to be ambassadors for ADBC and come and play at our club whenever you can. Let’s make 2006 a banner year and set the stage for even better things to come in 2007.

Thanks again to everyone for all of your contributions this summer - keep up the good work !!!

Caron

August 23, 2006

Got Questions ????? Don’t stay in the dark - ask a Board Member !!!

Since joining the Board earlier this year, I have become very aware of just how much is going on at ADBC on a continual basis - both at the games and special events and behind the scenes. It really does take a tremendous amount of effort on the part of many people to keep things running smoothly - and most of this is done willingly and without compensation !!! We are blessed to have dedicated club members and players who continue to volunteer their time and talents for the betterment of ADBC.

One of the first actions of the 2006-2007 Board was to place top priority on effective communications with the members of our club and all of the players who choose to take part in the events and games held at ADBC. Because so much is going on at a given time, it makes sense that many of us will have questions about various club-related issues. Some examples might be: What is the Board focusing on? What changes are being considered? How is the financial health of the club? Whatever question comes to mind, please feel free to ask the Board so we can provide accurate information and address any concerns.

We use the website and the club bulletin boards to communicate with our members in a timely manner. The Minutes from our board meetings are posted on the website. Financial reports are open and available to the general membership. Upcoming events are announced and fliers are posted, both on the website and in prominent locations at the club.

I was asked an interesting hypothetical question recently regarding our club. The answer to the question is an important one, and something I want to be sure that all of our members and players are aware of. So I will share the question here, along with the answer:

The question was: "What would happen if ADBC could not pay the rent and bills?  Would the members be responsible?"

The answer: Club members would never be held responsible for the club’s financial obligations. Since ADBC is a not-for-profit organization, it is governed by the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act (the "TNPCA"). Article 1396-2.08 of the TNPCA states unequivocally that: "The members of a non-profit corporation shall not be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, or obligations of the corporation." A member does not expose himself or herself to personal liability to corporate debts by payment of dues. Texas courts have said that a member merely acquires a joint right to use and enjoyment of the organization's property or funds, so long as he or she continues to be a member."

Some important facts:

• The club’s financial position is strong - our bank balance at the end of June was $13,186.37.
• We are pretty much through with all of the one-time expenses related to the club’s relocation.
• Our table count has been on the upswing, yielding stronger revenues than is typical during the summer.
• We recently received reimbursement from ACBL for previous advertising expenses - a $1500 receipt!
• We will receive a rental payment from Unit 183 for holding the NLM Fall Sectional at ADBC.
• We had expected to spend about $900 on insulation, but negotiated a deep commercial discount with Home Depot and ended up paying only about $650 for the materials.
• Historically, ADBC has operated at a loss each month with the deficit made up by the proceeds of the annual Arlington Sectional. This approach remains unchanged at this time.
• There are many ideas being considered to help the club grow and remain financially strong in the future. The Growth Initiatives Committee is developing many new concepts, the first of which is the upcoming Saturday Bridge Extravaganza on October 14th. Expect to see more new initiatives in the near future.
• We are launching two new EasyBridge! sessions in September, including our first-ever daytime session on Thursday mornings. We can use our past experience with this program to project that these new sessions will yield increased table count and revenue for the Club.
• As we become more familiar with our new location and the related expenses, it will help us evaluate our options and make good decisions on behalf of the club as we move forward.

The bottom line: Things look great for ADBC, both now and in the Future.

And if you ever have questions or concerns, don’t expect the worst or make assumptions that will cause you undue worry - just ask your Board! We may not always have the perfect answer, but you have our commitment that we’ll do whatever we can to address your issues and let you know how we plan to proceed.

Caron

August 9, 2006

Update on Recent and Planned Happenings

Hello everyone - hope you are all having a safe and fun summer. With the local schools getting ready to convene for the new school year, we can hope that fall and some cooler weather are around the corner!

It has been a great summer at ADBC so far. The special Monday morning summer games have been a huge success. The four games held thus far have yielded 31-1/2 tables, which translates into a significant source of revenue for the club. More importantly, we have made some new bridge friends and have exposed some different people to our beautiful playing facility. We hope that we will continue to reap the benefits from this event for many years to come. The last of these special games will be held on Monday August 21st and Monday August 28th. Please come on down and join this group if you can! A special thanks to Joyce Journey for bringing the idea of the Summer Monday Games to the board !!!

The club’s special August game, the Crazy Topper game, was a success. Neal Shores did his usual great job of directing, and we had seven full tables despite the fact that the Waco sectional was going on at the same time. Fabulous food and lots of it - thanks to all who contributed to the Pot Luck. And congratulations to Virginia Chilton and Chuck Burke for winning the prizes for the best hats!

The mentoring program has been another successful summer event for the club. Thanks to Glen Terrell, our I/N Coordinator, for setting this up. And thanks to all of the players - both mentors and mentees - who have supported this program. There are two more mentoring Saturdays left - August 12th & 26th. Any pair which has one non-Life Master with less than 300 masterpoints is welcome to play in this game. So get an LM/NLM pair together and join the mentoring group for these last two Saturdays.

On August 1st, members of the By-Laws Review Committee joined ADBC board members for a meeting to review the proposed changes to the club by-laws. We are close to having a finished product to send for a legal review. Once we have an approved version to submit, we will schedule a special club membership meeting to present the proposed revision and have the members vote on ratifying it. More on that as soon as we get closer to some firm dates.

Last week our Club Secretary, Lauren Brown, tendered her resignation from the board. The board has appointed Ann Overfield to fill this vacancy for the remainder of the term. Please join me in thanking Lauren for all of her hard work these last few years, and give Ann your support as she joins the board.

After much discussion and weighing of alternatives by the Board, a decision has been reached to purchase some insulation for the front ceiling area of the studio. There is currently no insulation in that area, and we are working on devising ways to lower our substantial electric bills. A one time investment in insulation should provide both financial and comfort benefits quickly and for the long term as well. Studio Manager Roy Booth will be leading this effort, and club volunteers including Roy, Chuck Burke, and Jimmy Reynolds will do the installation. The expected cost of the materials is about $900. While this amount is significant, the payback should occur within a reasonable period of time. And we should start seeing some benefits right away. While it would have been nice to have had this task completed prior to the hot summer, we still need to try and generate some savings for the warm weather that remains, and prepare ourselves adequately for the winter months as well.

Thanks to everyone for supporting the club this summer. Table count is up, and we want to keep that trend going. Many more things are in the planning stages for the fall; more on that soon !!!!!

Caron

July 2006

DECORATING DETAILS

Some of you have been asking, "How can we afford all of these decorative items that have appeared at the club?" The answer is simple - we have generous members and players!

As has been the case so often in the recent past, many of our members have stepped up and donated their money, their time, their ideas, and their talents for the betterment of our beautiful new facility.

June Byrd, in memory of Jerry Calloway, donated the tall piece of furniture in the front room. Joan Ehmann donated the lovely stained glass hanging in the front window in memory of Jerry Calloway.

The decorative chair you see when you enter the front door and the "Uncle Sam" belong to June, who generously loaned these to us for our display. June also donated the table and fabrics we use for our guest book and seasonal display.

Sam Long donated the metal picture hanging on the front room wall. Dee Berg has spent countless hours acquiring and displaying tasteful but economical decorations. Many of the vases, floral arrangements, pictures, and miscellaneous items were purchased at discounts as high as 75 per cent.

The club received $1,500.00 in donations: $500.00 each from Carol McConnell, Margot Hirsch, and Sam Long, for decorating and beautifying our new club. Only a fraction of this money has been spent to date.

To keep our new studio looking great year-round, the plan is to keep and carefully store any seasonal decorations to be used again each year. The next season change will be for the hot summer months, and cool looking fabrics to drape the table in the front room have been chosen. This will help keep the club looking cool and refreshing as we all try to endure our long, hot summer season!

Since we have donated decorating funds remaining, please continue to let us know if you have any special ideas for club decor. Any board member would be happy to take suggestions forward. We do not intend to use the leftover money for anything else, so we should have the funds available when future needs arise.

Thanks to all of the members who have made personal contributions to help our new facility look terrific! Also thanks to each player and director for continuing to keep the club neat and clean any time you are there. If we work together, we can keep ADBC looking its best for many years to come!

Caron

29 June 2006

Significant Happenings

Hello everyone, and welcome to the lazy, crazy days of summer in North Central Texas !!!

When it gets too hot to work and play outside, why not visit ADBC and play bridge in the cool comfort of our new facility? The new air conditioning units are in place, and the positive effects on the comfort level at the club are already being experienced. Roy Booth, our Studio Manager, is working on thermostat settings now that our new units are in place. And Roy is exploring other avenues that may help us minimize the cost of our electricity. Please help the directors keep our utility bills as low as possible by being attentive to energy conservation, but be sure to raise a flag if you feel the comfort level is not what it needs to be during any game.

The Board and some of our key committees have been hard at work, pursuing several tasks of importance:

• The Growth Initiatives Committee, chaired by Dorothy Moore, has held several meetings and they have wonderful ideas coming in from many directions. The Board has already approved their request for advertising and support funds to start paving the way for two new EasyBridge programs beginning in the fall.
• The By-Laws Review Committee, chaired by Becky Price, has been hard at work as well. They have submitted a draft by-laws amendment to the Board, and a special review meeting is scheduled for Board members and committee members to discuss and finalize the proposed amendment so it can receive a legal review and be prepared for presentation to our general membership. We hope to have a special club membership meeting in the early fall for this purpose - we will keep everyone posted. In the meantime, remember that any club members are welcome to submit ideas or requests for inclusion in the amendment. Contact Becky or a board member with your inputs.
• The Director’s Duties listing and the fee/free play schedule have been reviewed and revised. Copies of the current versions will be posted at the club.
• Chuck Burke has been appointed as the ADBC representative to conduct the negotiations to bring the Unit 183 Fall 299er Sectional to our club this year. Dates for this tournament are Saturday & Sunday, October 7 & 8. Details to follow as soon as things are firmed up.
• We will be offering 6 special daytime games on some of the Mondays this summer. Look for the fliers posted on the website and at the club for details. Regular card fees - no limits on masterpoints - 10 AM start time. Come and join the fun !!!

A special WELCOME BACK to our own Bill White. We all always knew that Bill did a lot of things behind the scenes for our club, but we really got a firsthand appreciation of just how much he contributes when he became ill and was hospitalized. We are glad to have you back and on the mend, Bill! And thanks to so many of you who stepped up and helped out during Bill’s absence: Tom and Dorothy Moore for website help; Lauren Brown for helping with Club Management duties in addition to her normal Board responsibilities; Melody Gann for coordinating communications and related tasks; Nancy Peterson for assuming bank and post office duties; all of the others (too numerous to mention) who helped with so many other tasks on short notice. We pulled together and kept things running smoothly, but it wasn’t easy !!!

And a special thank you to all of our members who made the June 24 ACBL/ABA inter-club event such a success. As always, our players came through with fabulous food and lots of it. Throughout the day I heard many of you welcoming our ABA guests and spending extra time with them. It was so gratifying to see all of you present and pulling together to be such good hosts and goodwill ambassadors. I believe we made our ABA friends feel very welcome, and we will hope to see them playing again soon at our club.

Watch for announcements of upcoming special events, like the Jammin’ in July party on July 8th. Please beat the heat and come play bridge at ADBC often !!!

Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable summer!

Caron

May 3, 2006

Final Report - ADBC Relocation (Chronology of Events and Cost Summary)

Greetings everyone,

On behalf of the ADBC Board of Directors, I am pleased to submit here the Final Relocation Cost Summary Report which provides detailed information related to the ADBC club relocation project late last year and early this year. This report is provided to all ADBC members for their review and edification. It has been reviewed by the Board and unanimously accepted as submitted here.

The final results of the facility relocation and information related to final project costs were presented at the annual membership meeting on 3-18-06. At that time it was reported that while the benefits and outcomes of the relocation were significant and positive, there were still some cost overruns that had not been anticipated or well communicated to the general club membership. It was discussed at that meeting that follow-up activities would be conducted to clarify the causes of the overruns and to insure that the charges were justified and reasonable.

After being selected to fill the office of ADBC President, one of my first actions was to pursue this task. With the concurrence of the current ADBC Board, I enlisted the assistance of Chuck Burke to do a thorough fact finding of the events related to the club’s relocation with special emphasis on items where original estimated costs were significantly exceeded by actual expenditures. Chuck consulted various informed sources and studied the invoices related to the relocation and then prepared and submitted his final report which is attached.

I think that a thorough review of this report will yield the following conclusions:

• An overwhelming majority of ADBC members were in favor of relocating the club after the armed robbery and other disturbing incidents occurred.
• Extraordinary efforts were undertaken by many individuals to generate alternative locations, select a preferred location, negotiate a favorable lease agreement, locate and acquire the services of a willing and experienced contractor, and undertake and complete a multitude of tasks to complete the relocation project.
• It took the extreme efforts and good will of literally dozens of individuals to complete this project.
• Many people, some who were otherwise not associated with ADBC, generously contributed their time and efforts to this project.
• The majority of the $8K cost overrun can be attributed to a handful of items, the two primary culprits being the electrical and plumbing tasks.
• The unexpected site conditions and the scope changes that occurred clearly explain the difference in the original cost estimates and the final actual costs incurred.
• The communication during the project among the Relocation Committee, the ADBC Board, and the club general membership was less than optimal.
• We can look at the details of this significant undertaking and draw some "lessons learned" from it and apply this knowledge when we approach similar projects in the future.

At this point, I would like for everyone to join me and the Board in thanking all of those who gave so much of their time and their heartfelt efforts to make this relocation a reality. We owe a special thanks to key relocation committee members Dee Berg, Jim Brown, Lauren Brown, and Jack Muzzio for their countless hours and efforts expended on behalf of this project. Concurrent with submission of this report, we can now officially disband the Relocation Committee and the related subcommittees and allow normal club operations to resume.

The result of everyone’s hard work is a facility which has the potential to be the home of a top-notch, stellar bridge club. But the building alone will not insure that. We must all join together, learn from our past experiences, and focus our vision and our efforts forward to insure that we do indeed have one of the best places anywhere to enjoy the wonderful game of bridge. It will take the efforts of each one of us --- working together --- to make this dream a reality. I thank you all for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Caron Peck

[ CLICK HERE FOR FINAL RELOCATION REPORT ]

Note: This report will remain posted for 30 days to give everyone a legitimate opportunity to see it. After that time, a hard copy will be stored in the club archives.

27 April 2006

Grand Opening Thanks

I would like to issue a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who contributed to the Grand Opening, Everyone I have talked to has agreed that the entire event was a huge success, and that it will represent a stellar day in the history of the Arlington Duplicate Bridge Club.

A special thanks to the following people who made the day such a success:

• The entire Open House Committee, chaired by Glen Terrell and Helen Nelson. Committee members included: Dee Berg, Connie and Roy Booth, Lauren Brown, Chuck Burke, Doris Doores, Jeanne Gilles, Sam Long, Dorothy Martin, Penny Mixon, Othella Muzzio, Ann Overfield, and Bill White.
• Roy Booth, Penny Mixon, Doris Doores, and Chuck Burke for getting the club clean and ready for the special day.
• Lauren Brown, for sending out invitations to special guests.
• Ann Overfield, for making the special appreciation certificates and framing them in the attractive frames, and for selecting and picking up the cake and flowers - they looked great.
• Dee Berg, for coordinating the purchase of the engraved letter openers and pens.
• Glen Terrell for the official programs - they turned out great and cost the club very little.
• Doris Doores for cooking the ham - she cooked for us even though she wasn’t in town to attend.
• Connie and Roy Booth - for agreeing to be our "King and Queen of Hearts" (or was that the Ace of Spades and the Joker?).
• Dewitt Hudson, District 16 President, for being on hand and supporting our club.
• Lana Wolff - Arlington City Councilwoman who delivered the mayor’s proclamation and snipped the red ribbon - we may be seeing her at the club again soon as a bridge player!
• To the directors of our games on this special day, Bill White & Glen Terrell - great job by both of you. You made sure everything ran smoothly while directing 21 tables !!!
• To all of our members and players who came to the club and supported this very special event and who brought so much fabulous food for us all to enjoy.

And speaking of food, a special thank-you must be extended to our new neighbors at Jay Jay’s Café for bringing over so many freshly baked pies as a gift to the club. Please plan on visiting them often and enjoying a home-cooked meal (at a 10% discount if you tell them you are an ADBC player). Be sure to tell them thanks for their dessert contributions - we hope we will enjoy more in the future!

New Committees

There are two special committees that were recently established by the Board to conduct some very important activities on behalf of the club:

1. By-Laws Review Committee - chaired by Becky Price. (Other members include Margot Hirsch, Carol Stodghill, Bryan Morgan, Penny Mixon, and Roy Baughman.) This committee will be looking at the current version of our club By-Laws (last amended in March 1998) and will submit proposed revisions to the Board. Once the product is deemed ready for presentation, a special club meeting will be called for the members to review and vote on the proposed changes. If you have inputs for this important committee, contact Becky or one of the other members.
2. Growth Initiatives Committee - chaired by Dorothy Moore. (Other members include Peggy McCormick, Ann Overfield, Anne Smith, Dee Berg, Georgie Jaeger, Glen Terrell, Helen Nelson, and Jimmy Reynolds.) This vital committee has been tasked with identifying initiatives, programs, and other activities which will promote membership growth, increased table count, and positive revenue streams at ADBC. If you have some ideas to share, let them know !!!

Stay tuned - we have lots of good things to tell you about !!!

Caron

19 April 2006

Greetings ADBC members and players from your 2006-2007 Board of Directors.

The new Board held its first meeting on Tuesday April 11th with all seven members in attendance. Please refer to the website to identify the members and the positions they occupy.

We all agreed that as we move forward, we are committed to doing the following on behalf of ADBC:

1. We will be open and effective communicators.
   • We intend to let our customers (i.e. our members and players) know what key things we are discussing and working on at any given time. We’ll facilitate this effort by using the new “Board Messages” feature on the ADBC website.
   • We are committed to listening to our members and players and to one another. While we can only work on a given number of things at a given time, we will accept and consider all inputs as soon as we are able to do so.
   • To assist us in receiving and managing the review of your ideas, please take the time to write them down and place them in the Suggestion Box.
2. We are committed to working together for the benefit of the club and the members.
   • We appreciate the confidence you have shown in us by electing us to serve as your Board members.
   • The Board is composed of 7 members, each with an equal vote on Board matters. Once a decision has been reached by majority vote, we all agree to support the outcome.

We are already in the process of formalizing some new special committees to address issues and opportunities which have been previously identified. Watch for announcements which will introduce the committees and their members. These individuals will also want to hear your thoughts and ideas.

Stay tuned - these are exciting times for ADBC. We welcome the participation and assistance of everyone to help us make our club one of the premier bridge sites anywhere.

On behalf ofch for announcements of upcoming special events, like the Jammin’ in July party on July 8th. Please beat the heat and come play bridge at ADBC often !!!

Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable summer!

Caron

Webmaster: Bill White
http://d16acbl.org/U176/ABC/Effects/messages.htm