ACBL Director's Report
ACBL Director's ReportHello everyone. I am just back from Chicago, which was shaping up to be a wonderful tournament. I ran into many players from District 8 and got to visit with a lot of them. The playing site was very nice, the location was great for getting around Chicago, Second City performed the first Saturday night and did a dead-on parody of bridge players, I got to see Andrew Carver inducted into the Junior Corps, and attendance was above predictions for the first few days. Hopefully, the tournament will end as well as it started.
Grand National Teams: Our four Grand National teams all tried hard. The best showing was by our Flight C team -- Janice Thompson, Irene Wen, Elizabeth Wilson and Anne Thiede -- who made it to the semifinal round and placed 3/4 in the nation. Our Flight A team -- Jim Hudson, Meyer Abarbanel, Madhu Viswanathan and Kris Maillacheruvu -- also placed overall (5/8) in their event. Congratulations to all!
The Board of Directors meetings were fun as usual. The BOD decided to buy a Directors and Officers insurance policy that will cover all Units and Districts. Each Unit and District president will receive a mailing on this, which must be returned by July 26 to ensure the earliest coverage.
Charity events: The Charity and Education Foundations were asked to meet to discuss combining into one foundation that would benefit only bridge. I am opposed to this. I feel there is a place in bridge for raising money for charitable purposes. I really enjoy serving on the Charity Foundation and hearing about the wonderful things that are done with the money we raise. I plan to run for re-election this fall. If the two foundations are combined, the Charity Foundation would have to dispose of its current assets based on its mission when those monies were raised. I would really like to know what you think on this matter. A motion regarding charity games was deferred to the next meeting.
International bridge: We will be discussing the role of the ACBL in international bridge at the meeting in November in Honolulu. We were just notified that the World Bridge Federation has doubled the dues they request from ACBL for our membership. A motion was made at the Board of Governors meeting to ask the Board of Directors to increase ACBL fees by $2.50 per year to benefit international competition. Glenn Smith, our former representative on the Board of Directors, spoke eloquently against this motion, which was defeated.
Other Board actions included:
Motions to raise the minimum age for senior events to 60 and to eliminate women's events were defeated.
A proposal to have tournament directors hear all bridge appeals at the NABCs was also defeated.
Regulations regarding to whom mailing lists will be made available and how they will be distributed were modified. Electronic distribution will be free of charge; any other media will incur a fee.
Model bylaws for incorporated US units were approved. I know Unit 208 has been waiting for these. They should be available in August.
Discipline in clubs was changed. Charges can be brought at the Unit level based on club play only if it involves a special game or an allegation of cheating or if charges are brought by the ACBL.
St. Louis NABC: It is only seven months until the national championships in St. Louis in March 2007. We just found out that Nancy Foy, the ACBL meeting planner for the last 15 years, has resigned. We will miss her and I wish she had waited until after our tournament to leave. Hopefully, she will love her new job and we will find someone just as great to replace her. Galen Hardy, another long-time ACBL employee, also quit this month. Headquarters is also short several Information Technology employees, so hiring new employees is a major goal in Memphis.
Reception for bridge teachers: Harriette Buckman, the ACBL president, is coming to the St. Louis Regional. She will be sponsoring a reception for bridge teachers on Friday night, August 18, between sessions. All bridge teachers are invited, but you must RSVP to me if you want to come. Your "admission ticket" will be bringing enough copies of your favorite teaching tip to share with everyone in attendance. Harriette will be publishing these tips on the ACBL website at the end of the year. Linda Bryant has graciously offered to host the reception at her home, so we are all looking forward to this. Check the Daily Bulletin at the tournament for details. RSVPs will be due by noon on Thursday, August 17. We will have directions to the Bryant's house available at the tournament and are asking attendees to carpool to the reception.
If you have questions or suggestions about ACBL Board actions or other bridge matters, please contact me at gkheth@hotmail.com or 917 S. Main St., Morton IL 61550-2419.
See
you at the tables.
-- Georgia