Virtual Program Throws Clubs a Lifeline
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Next regional: 2021 TRUMPETTHE DISTRICT 20 www.ACBLD20.org Vol. 16, No. 2 Bridge Across the District Summer 2020 Virtual program throws clubs a lifeline By Chip Dombrowski Partnering with Bridge Base Online and Calif.; and Honolulu and Kailua Kona, allow districts to run online regionals. For The Trumpet former ACBL president Jay Whipple, the Hawaii. More joined in late May. the time being, virtual clubs are the only ACBL launched the virtual clubs program Meanwhile, the district canceled the game in town. Within days of the cancellation of the March 25. District 20 clubs began on- Bend regional on April 13, the Treasure The program offers clubs a way to gen- Columbus NABC on March 12, clubs boarding in early April, with all the Port- Valley Regional on May 4 and the Seaide erate income during the shutdown while across the district shut down. Most of Dis- land area clubs offering online club games Regional on May 24. The ACBL canceled offering players the opportunity to com- trict 20’s large clubs had already made the the first week of that month. the Montreal NABC on April 15 and this pete in a familiar, friendly environment. decision to close by the time the ACBL By the end of the month, there were 15 year’s North American Pairs and Grand BBO returns the larger share of the play- sent out a recommendation to cease all virtual clubs operating in areas all over National Teams on May 4. The ACBL has ing fee to participating clubs. club and tournament operations on the district, including Boise, Bend, Eu- held one online regional and has another March 16. gene, Medford; Eureka and Penn Valley, in the works, but doesn’t currently plan to Continued on Page 11 ACBL takes Eyer: Thank measures to you, and you reduce costs and you! I would like to thank those who I hope this finds you, your family voted for me for their support. I hope and friends safe and well. What a to represent all of our district well. long, strange journey we are all on. As you know the board was sup- Everyone has been socially dis- posed to meet in Columbus for four tancing, reaching out to those we days prior to nationals starting. know and care about. The bridge Meetings via conference calls were community is tightly connected by a being held prior to the scheduled shared, secretly coded language, and meeting. When the Ohio governor by friends and partners worldwide; outlawed meetings of large groups, those we already know and those we the ACBL was able to get out of our will know. Yes, we can still talk of contracts without penalty. If we had intra-finesses and backwash canceled prior to the governor’s di- Top row: Ellen McCumsey, Lee Brackhahn, Eric Sieg; middle row: Eileen Boal, Jeff Jacob, squeezes; unfortu- rective, it would Toni Heitkamp; bottom row: Zack Woodbury, Karen Boss and Bill Jones. nately, we now have have cost the ACBL to know about $2.2 million. How- COVID toes and ever, the ACBL still travel bubbles. lost money because All of you are of lost revenue. Life and bridge making a difference The board met every minute, every online for five days Mike Eyer day. I’d like to offer and in that time ap- special thanks to Laurie Rowe D20 President proved a resizing of the behind-the- D20 District Director in a time of corona the board from 25 scenes folk, the un- members to 13. Dis- sung heroes, who have enabled us to trict 20 will combine with 21 to form How players across the district are coping with quarantine play the game we love. one region (see story, page 3). Al- Thanks to District Director Laurie By Jen Smith people’s weekly routines. And we aren’t though this will take three years to Rowe, ACBL President Georgia Heth just talking about your regular TP run. implement, it will save the organiza- The Trumpet and all the other directors and ACBL Bridge clubs have been forced to shut tion about $150,000 annually. staff for so promptly setting up BBO It seems you can’t go five minutes these down around the country. So how our Covid-19 has wreaked havoc in the as an alternative for our needed fixes. days without hearing or seeing some players in District 20 coping with this new world, affecting all kinds of businesses To the district officers: Vice Presi- headline about the novel coronavirus. normal? We talked to a handful of players and organizations, including the ACBL. dent Jon Gustafson, Treasurer July Stay-at-home orders went into place to find out. , Secretary , area It is unclear when we will be able to around the country around mid-March, Ratley Rich Carle Continued on Page 10 which meant a big disruption to many Continued on Page 8 Continued on Page 10 The rise and rise of McKenzie Myers By Don Marsh cess at the highest level as a player, bidder to a phantom sacrifice. He “For a couple of years, I averaged The Trumpet playing professional, educator and started playing online and soon saw at least eight hours a day of bridge national-level director. that he was one of the better players activities, if you include playing live, To describe McKenzie Eugene It all began when Mac received a on now defunct sites like Playsite reading and practicing online,” he Myers’ story as local boy makes good copy of Eddie Kantar’s “Bridge for and MSN Games. Locally, he found a said. “I’m sure it wasn’t healthy, but would be a little like describing 7NT Dummies” for his 21st birthday in home at the Emerald Bridge Club. it sure was a good way to get good redoubled making as a good result. 2000 from his father, Chris. Mac was His job called for lots of travel that at the game.” What Mac has accomplished is un- not a bridge dummy for very long. afforded him the opportunity to play precedented. He has achieved suc- He took to the game like an over- at many clubs with many partners. Continued on Page 10 McKenzie Myers Page 2 The District 20 Trumpet Summer 2020 All this time with nowhere to go? Time to get a dog On an unseasonably warm, sunny day in day with no school, so we did. The most fun March, I met a friend for tennis. Irving Park dog was there, an enormous shaggy beast was unusually full of people for a midweek that was leaping and bounding and happy. late afternoon. Luckily, I got there early and We asked what kind of dog it was and we was first in line for a court to open. were told that it was a Bernedoodle, a cross I brought my son Noah with me so he between a Bernese mountain dog and a could play in the park. He spent the entire poodle. That was acceptable to Noah. But time chasing dogs in the off-leash area. He they’re like $3500 and not readily available. has been wanting a dog for a long time. We arranged for Noah to meet a full- Never having had a dog before, I grown standard poodle so that was nervous about the idea. I’ve he could have an informed opin- tried to hold him off with a cat, ion. As you might have guessed, fish and two different kinds of Noah loves all animals and this geckos. But you know what hap- poodle was on exceptionally good pens when you do that? You end behavior. Noah acquiesced to the up with a cat, fish, two different idea of the breed. Noah and Bucky kinds of geckos and a dog. We spent Friday googling and OK, but what kind of dog? I saw a breeder in the Corvallis FaceTime, Amazon Prime and Disney+. I the tournament. I can assure you that the knew essentially it was going to area with a few puppies left. I am able to work from home. Even though players are cared about and everyone be my dog, too, and that I would Amy Casanova wanted a female, Noah wanted a there are plenty of frustrations, I know hopes that soon the league can run live be taking care of it. A lot. Noah Managing Editor male. I wanted apricot, I don’t that we are among the lucky ones. bridge games for us all. goes to his dad’s house most think Noah cared. Maybe worrying about how we are going What do we miss? Getting dressed in weekends. We drove to Corvallis March to play bridge is low on the priority scale, nice clothes. Wearing a new piece of jew- Noah really wanted a blue heeler, which 21 and left with Bucky, an apricot, male, but nonetheless it is an important part of elry or a shirt that gets noticed and com- is in the Australian sheep-herding family, curly-haired, long-legged bundle of love many people’s lives and still our job here plimented. Celebrating birthdays, having a very high-energy and loyal, sometimes only and fun. He’s practically a neighborhood in the district and beyond. piece of cake. Trying a new recipe. Ex- to one person. I feared it would be too celebrity, making friends everywhere he Live bridge is on indefinite hiatus. It changing books. Discussing movies, TV hyper and maybe like only me. goes. He is truly irresistible. may never be the same.