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Addition to Max Levit Lone Star Regional Schedule

A single-session 0-10 game has been added to the Max Levit Lone Star Regional schedule. It will be held on Thursday, February 6th in the ROSE GARDEN ROOM at 10:00 AM. Joyce Ryan and David Henke will direct this game. NO PARTNER NEEDED! We can match you up. If you see Joyce or David, thank them for contributing to the growth of duplicate bridge in our Unit! Tell everyone you know who is a party bridge player or new to the game to come out on Thursday for 0-10 and Friday for 0-5!

Max Levit Lone Star Regional Online Game

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that there will be an ONLINE GAME during the Regional. The game will be available on BBO on Saturday, February 8, and will have two sessions, one at 10:00 AM and one at 2:30 PM. You must register for both sessions. The entry fee is $34 for both sessions. The game is LIMITED TO DISTRICT 16 PLAYERS and will have the usual stratifications. It is a chance to win Gold and Red points during our Regional tournament. For more information about how to register, please click the button on the right.

In Memory of Ed Smith

Ed passed away on December 17th. He was fondly known as our Cookie Man because he brought wonderful homemade baked goods to every game.

His memorial service will be held on Feb 11 at Herman Park Lott Hall from 4-6 pm. His obituary can be read here.

Reservation Link for the Lone Star Regional

Reservation Link for the Electional Sectional

    Our April Election Sectional will be held at Marriott Westchase on April 4, 5, and 6, 2025. Our annual meeting will be at the lunch break on Saturday. For those of you who would prefer to stay at the hotel for this tournament, the Board has arranged a special rate of $129.00 per night at the Marriott. The reservation block closes on March 22, so get your reservations made!
  • Election Sectional (Westchase Marriott)

Ambassadors Needed for Max Levit Lone Star Regional

As part of our hospitality for our tournament, Unit 174 needs volunteers to serve as ambassadors, so that if someone comes without a partner and is not matched at the partnership desk, there will be someone available with whom he or she can play. The ambassador gets to play free, and if you are available to serve as an ambassador and you are not paired up, you will receive a free play coupon.

If you are willing to serve as an ambassador at our tournament, please send an email to Board Member Gary Kerr, madk86@aol.com and let him know which days you are willing to volunteer.
THANK YOU! All of us working together will make this tournament GREAT.

ACBL President to Attend the Lone Star Regional!

Margot Hennings, ACBL President will attend our Max Levit Lone Star Regional Tuesday through Saturday. She will host two mornings of "meet and greet", Wednesday February 5, and Friday February 7, from 9:15 to 9:45. Plan on coming early to enjoy breakfast bites, free coffee, and to warmly welcome our President. Get your questions ready and come meet President Margot Hennings.

Margot Hennings

District 16 Grand National Teams

District 16 GNT qualifiers and finals for flights A and C will be held at the Election Sectional April 5th and 6th. Click here for more information.

Member Rank Achievements

Congratulations to all our members who have earned new ranks!

Junior Master
Carol Labreche, Hua Li, Walter Oakes, Jian Tao, Jing Xie

Club Master
Russell Hall, Sharon Hall, Sandra McNeir

Sectional Master
Dmitry Braverman, Dru Dalton, Shirley J Davis, Martha G Hanson, Dianne Hilkemeier, Sherry L Scarborough, Suzanne Sebo

Regional Master
Bob Canobbio, Lynn M Clark, Sally E Ward, Darrell E Way

NABC Master
Elizabeth A Eisenach, Russell Thomas, Maria L Turner

Life Master
Betty M Cartmell, Mike Davis

Ruby Life Master
Donna Frederick

Gold Life Master
Daksha G Adhia

Sapphire Life Master
Beth M Coker

Nominations Sought for Unit 174 Charity

Each year, Unit 174 selects a charity for its annual contribution efforts. We are seeking your recommendations for an official charity to support in the coming fiscal year. Please send suggestions to Unit 174 Board Member James Sells or unit president Sarah Springer. Click here for more information.

Unit 174 Board Nominations and Board Election

The Nominating Committee has reported to the Board of Directors and the Board has approved the following individuals to run for the Unit 174 Board of Directors.

  • John Eric Watson, incumbent
  • Cindy Schaefer
  • Fred Gregory
  • Joe Quinn
  • Judy Whaling
  • Lisa Sommer

The members of Unit 174, whose participating clubs include Baytown, Bryan/College Station, Clear Lake, Conroe, Galveston, Houston, Kingwood, Lake Jackson, LaGrange, Livingston, Pasadena, Spring, Stafford, and Sugar Land, will have an opportunity to vote for three members of the Board of Directors April 4-5, 2025, during the Election Sectional at the Marriott Houston Westchase.

The three newly elected members will join Dave Becker, Karen Nussbaum, Hallie “Peaches” Eades, Lesley Kellet, James Sells and Gary Kerr to complete the full nine-member Board. Betty Starzec, Chair of the Nominating Committee, urges you to vote, either in person, early online, or by absentee ballot. For a ballot to be counted, a member must vote for at least one candidate, which can include a write-in candidate. In person voting will take place one hour before each session of the tournament on Friday, and on Saturday until 10:00 AM.

Online voting will become available on March 5, 2025 and will end on March 31, 2025. There will be directions on the website, as well as a list of candidates with photographs and short bios.

The results of the election will be announced at the annual meeting which will take place between sessions on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

ABSENTEE VOTING PROCEDURES

Any member may vote by Absentee Ballot. To vote absentee, a member must contact the Election Judges by U.S. mail, e-mail, or telephone requesting an Official Ballot. If the voter is a member in good standing, an Official Ballot will be sent to the voter at the voter’s address of record, in a small unsealed envelope. Upon receiving the Official Ballot, the voter should complete the ballot, seal it inside the small envelope provided, and place the small sealed envelope inside another envelope addressed to the Election Judge. The back flap of the outside envelope must be signed by the voter. If no signature is provided, the ballot will not be counted. The Absentee Ballot must be postmarked no later than March 20, 2025 and must be received by the Election Judge no later than March 31, 2025 to be counted. The Election Judge is Paul Nimmons. Correspondence should be addressed to Paul Nimmons, Unit 174 Election Judge, 1108 Krist Dr Houston 77055 or paulnimmons@sbcglobal.net.

Help Navigating EDGAR

If EDGAR has accused you or one of your friends of online cheating, one of our local bridge experts has volunteered to help you understand the reports you received. If you find yourself in this position, contact Sally Wheeler at sd-wheeler@comcast.net for a confidential consultation.

Scammer Alert

It appears the scammers are active again! Please remember that no one will ever randomly email anyone to make purchases on behalf of the Unit or the board.
If you get such an email send it to your SPAM folder and alert Sarah Springer at sarahspringerbridge@gmail.com.

Online Event Calendar

Online events, including Regional-rated tournaments, will continue to be offered along with chances to win gold, silver, red and black masterpoints®. Click here for the Online Special Events. More details can be found at acbl.org .

Club News

Apple Duplicate Bridge Club

  • Face to face games are held every Monday and Friday at 11:30 am at the Tracy Gee Community Center. Please note that Apple no longer has any online (BBO) games. Click here for more information.

Bridge Academy of West Houston

  • The Bridge Academy of West Houston is located at Arabia Shrine Center, 10510 Harwin Dr., Houston, TX 77036. Invitational games are held on Thursdays at 10:30 am with both open and 299r games on Wednesdays at 10:30 am. There is a monthly Swiss and a FLM game on one Sunday (TBA) at 1:30 pm and a monthly Mentor/Mentee game usually on the first Tuesday of each month at 10:30 am. Cost is $7 for most games. Contact Joyce Ryan at joyceryanbridge@gmail.com or click here for the website .

Bridge Club of Houston

  • The Bridge Club of Houston is holding both face to face and online games. Click here for game schedules and further information.

Clear Lake Bridge Club

Cypress NW Duplicate Bridge Club

  • Cypress NW DBC is holding F2F bridge games on Tuesdays and Thursdays with sign-in starting at 11:00 am for a start time of
    11:30 am at the Meg Weekly Community Center (8440 Greenhouse Road, Cypress, Texas 77433). The fee is $6/pair. Proof of vaccination is required. If you have any questions please call Jim Warren at (832)851-4745.

Fort Bend Duplicate Bridge Club

  • Open games are held on Tuesdays 10:30 am at Arabia Shriner’s, 10510 Harwin Dr.,Houston, TX 77036 (Please arrive by 10:15 am). Please call if you will be late. Contact Eric Watson for questions at (832)287-9107.

Katy Duplicate Bridge Club

  • The games will be held on Wednesdays at Steve Radack Community Center located at 18650 Clay Rd, Houston, TX 77084. Check in starts at 11:00 am for the 11:30 am games. Proof of vaccination is required. If you have any questions please call Jim Warren at (832)851-4745.

Kingwood Duplicate Bridge Club

  • Wednesday and Thursday games start at 10:00 am at the Kingwood Community Center, 4102 Rustic Woods Drive, Kingwood, TX 77345. Entries are $2 and $3 for upgraded games. On Thursday mornings, Bill Riley will be giving a 40-45 minute presentation on various topics, conventions etc. starting at 9:00 am. A schedule of topics will be published periodically. Coffee is available. For information, contact Jim Simmons at (281)913-0441 or jrsimmons2102@gmail.com , or Bill Riley at (832)289-3833 or ichibanbill@yahoo.com , or the Kingwood Community Center (281)348-2570.

Lake Conroe Bridge Club

  • Lake Conroe is open for face to face games. Games are $5 and held every Friday at 10:30 am. COVID vaccination is required. For further info contact Penny Grassedonio at 832-361-4577 or czthdaypjg@gmail.com .

Lone Star Bridge Club

  • Lone Star Bridge Club hosts face to face games on Mondays at 11:45 am and Thursdays at 10:30 am. Games are $5 per person. Proof of COVID vaccination and masks are optional. Click here for more information.

Pebble Creek Duplicate Bridge Club

Star Duplicate Bridge Club

  • Games are on Mondays and Fridays at 9:15 am and $7 per person. Masks are encouraged and you must have a partner. For more info, contact Richard Duble at (979)324-8421

Sugar Land Bridge

  • Games are on Tuesdays at 9:30 am at Lago Mariscos Restaurant, 2329 Hwy 6, Sugar Land, TX, 77478.
    For more info, contact John Herzer at (737)287-7888.