October 2022 - 32

A Patchwork of Great News
from the Educational Foundation
W
hen the Educational Foundation provided free
ACBL Junior memberships to graduates of our
2021 BridgeWhiz program, we hoped the kids
would use them. Indeed, they did! From a recent tally, 10
Juniors - both BridgeWhiz kids and others - earned masterpoints
at the Youth NABC in Providence, and one has
played in 25 virtual club games.
Parents and grandparents are taking their BridgeWhiz
graduates to play in face-to-face games at their clubs!
Here's why this is exciting:
* BridgeWhiz kids are getting the best " first partner " (and
cheerleader!) they can get.
* Juniors are learning how to focus longer, and, in one
club game, that meant an endurance test of 28 boards.
* ACBL members can introduce their BW graduate to club
friends and opponents, some of whom will share their
own bridge knowledge after the game.
* Kids are learning bridge concepts and lingo in a less
stressful environment with (grand)parents to explain
these game terminologies to them.
* BridgeWhiz kids are using their ACBL Junior memberships,
underwritten by the ACBL Educational Foundation
(ACBLEF).
Meet Craig De Almeida and his BridgeWhiz graduate
daughter, Genevieve, who have already played four games
together at The Bridge Academy in Durham NC. Here's
what Genevieve had to say about the experience:
of ours a couple times. I must admit I get nervous every
time, but after a few hands, it becomes comfortable. All in
all, it's an exciting experience - even if you don't win. I'm
still trying for my first masterpoints! "
Remember: BridgeWhiz is still taking registrations for
its free digital fall session at bridgewhiz.org, but spaces
are limited. Registration closes Oct. 10, and classes in
multiple time zones for kids aged 10-17 start Oct 17. Tell
your friends about this great opportunity which created
well over 400 new ACBL Junior members in its first year.
At its final board meeting of 2022, then-President Joel
Kramer turned the ACBLEF gavel over to Robert Todd,
renowned bridge teacher and Bridge Bulletin columnist.
Todd will serve in that position for the next three years.
Todd has just wrapped up a pro-am charity auction which
netted the ACBLEF more than $52,000 for the foundation's
new Junior Fund. This year, the fund has enabled 18
kids to attend the 7th World Youth Transnational Championships
in Salsomaggiore, Italy.
We express our delight and thanks to new Legacy
Society John McAllister, Allison Freeland, Robert Todd,
Roberto Verthelyi, Busaba Williams, Anne Brenner and
Dave Caprera. Through our planned giving program,
you, too, can leave a legacy gift of any amount for bridge
without disclosing confidential financial information.
Contact kristen@acbleducationalfoundation.org for more
information and, please, encourage friends to " follow
suit. "
We welcome new trustee Patricia Herrera, member of
the Mexican national bridge team, president of the Mexican
Bridge Federation and education chair for District 16.
She writes a bimonthly article titled, " The Most Beautiful
Game in the World, " geared towards new and intermediate
players. She also helped translate the movie " Double
Dummy " into Spanish and is the organizer of the Acapulco
Sectional.
With deep gratitude, we bid farewell to former board
chair and trustee, Barbara Heller. She has much bigger
fish to fry now as ACBL Director of Region 6.
Please consider an end-of-the-year gift to the ACBL
Educational Foundation by visiting
acbleducationalfoundation.org/donate.php.
Genevieve De Almeida, 13, with her dad, Craig
" It was amazing! People at the club were quite welcoming
and were excited to see a new face (well, half of one
anyway, with masking and all), and made great competitors.
I met people with games at my level, and quite a few
who were more advanced, but everyone was quite happy
explaining their bids, and I even have had to explain a few
32 | Bridge Bulletin | October 2022
http://www.bridgewhiz.org http://www.acbleducationalfoundation.org/donate.php
October 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of October 2022
