September 2013 - 9

FROM THE CEO
Going the extra mile
The American Contract
Bridge League
President
Donald Mamula
Chair, Board of Directors
Sharon Anderson
Chief Executive Officer
Robert Hartman
ACBL Counsel
Peter Rank
Chair, Board of Governors
Richard Anderson

Board of Directors
District 1 * Leo Weniger
District 2 * Paul Janicki
District 3 * Glenda Calkins
District 4 * Craig Robinson
District 5 * Sharon Fairchild
District 6 * Margot Hennings
District 7 * Bob Heller
District 8 * Georgia Heth
District 9 * Shirley Seals
District 10 * Bill Cook Jr.
District 11 * A. Beth Reid
District 12 * William Arlinghaus
District 13 * Suzi Subeck
District 14 * Sharon Anderson
District 15 * Phyllis Harlan
District 16 * Dan E. Morse
District 17 * Bonnie Bagley
District 18 * Claire Jones
District 19 * Donald Mamula
District 20 * Merlin Vilhauer
District 21 * Bruce Blakely
District 22 * Ken Monzingo
District 23 * Rand Pinsky
District 24 * Alvin Levy
District 25 * Richard DeMartino
To contact your district director, address
email to district#director@acbl.org.
(Enter the district number
where you see #.)

Not long ago, I signed up to run the Chicago Marathon in October.
It will be my first 26.2-mile run ever. So why am I writing this in the
Bridge Bulletin? Because you, as an ACBL Member who took part in
The Longest Day, helped get me there.
Okay, let me explain.
As CEO of the ACBL, I was able to see the
passion and compassion of our Members,
Club Owners, Directors, Districts, Units,
Volunteers and staff first hand.
I must admit that I am still in awe that the
ACBL raised more than $550,000 for the
Alzheimer's Association (see page 14 for
photos and full details).
I watched the fundraising totals grow daily
as Club Owners like Sylvana Scotto-Zagri
of the Sagamore Bridge Club and Donna
Compton of the Bridge Academy of North
Dallas were exchanged positions at the top
of the leader board, and, as of the end of July, had raised $78,236 and
$50,776, respectively. Wow!
I was amazed by the work effort of Volunteers like Carol and Don
Paterson at the M.A. Lightman Bridge Club in Memphis. They set
up a full day's worth of activities, from a social bridge game early
in the morning to a series of creative bridge events, including a full
breakfast, lunch and dinner!
I was inspired by the dozens of stories I read from the "Dons
and Carols" around the country, whether they were three-table
club games in small towns or bigger efforts in bigger cities. ACBL
tournaments on Friday, June 21, also played into the day's success by
generating money and great publicity for the ACBL.
So, how does this all relate back to the Chicago Marathon? I was so
inspired by you that I am fundraising and running my first marathon
for the Alzheimer's Association team, called AlzStars. I, too, needed to
do something big for the cause.
I am averaging 30-35 miles of running per week in the heat and
humidity of Memphis. The training is not easy, but every time I think
of giving up, I think back to your efforts to raise money and awareness
for those dealing with Alzheimer's, and I am inspired to go on.
See you at the bridge table, or maybe in Chicago.
P.S. A special thanks to Allen Gutterman and Darbi Padbury,
who helped take the ACBL on this journey, starting from the initial
conversations around a conference
table in Horn Lake. You are both
awesome.

September 2013 Bridge Bulletin

9
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2013
