Duncan Bridge Center

DUNCAN BRIDGE CENTER
74-836 Technology Drive

Palm Desert

760 550 9066

Games Daily at 1:00 PM
Guaranteed Partners at all 1:00 PM Games

Dear Players,

My wish for you is a happy and blessed holiday season. We have much to be thankful for, especially for the support you’ve shown.

Now pat yourselves on the back and take a look at what you have accomplished over the last year.

• Established a dedicated duplicate bridge facility
• Eliminated membership fees
• Provided bridge classes for over 300 students
• Instituted individual mentoring opportunities for approximately 50 participants
• Brought in world class workshops with Audrey Grant, Eddie Kantar, and Guy and Karol Monroe
• Promoted development of beginning bridge players through the Lew Greenwood Award
• Hosted Worldwide ACBL Special Events competitions
• Qualified over 300 players for NAOP and GNT events
• Awarded over 12,500 masterpoints in one year
• Partnered with Mizell Community Center to maintain its bridge tradition and return a convenient venue to west valley players.
• · Soon, we plan to further this partnership with Mizell and Unit533 to teach bridge to 7^th & 8^th grade students.

You’ve done well, Coachella Valley duplicate bridge players! Let me tell you how you did this.

People form nonprofit organizations to create a public benefit. The Coachella Valley Bridge Foundation, doing business as Duncan Bridge Center, is a nonprofit. No one person or group of people can own a nonprofit organization.  In our case how we got here was in 2008, through the work of other volunteers who filled out the piles of paperwork required by State and Federal governments—not an easy task. They worked alongside the Duncan’s, who provided the capital to pursue the Foundation’s mission. When the nonprofit status was granted in March 2009, it was with great celebration and, fortunately, Ray lived to hear the good news.  The mission statement of the Foundation is the why we’re here: to
provide a community resource to promote and support the game of duplicate bridge in the Coachella Valley of California through dedicated facilities, teaching programs, workshops and individual instruction

When we talk about “ownership” of the Foundation, we use the word metaphorically to make the point that board members, players, volunteers, and the community all have a stake in the organization’s future success and its ability to provide needed programs and dedicated playing
space to our local residents.

Duncan Bridge Center has been established for you, the Community. Our board members have looked to the future and created a Building Fund that will allow us room to grow as our retiring Boomers discover the delights of the Coachella Valley. When you play at Duncan, a portion of your card fee allows us to reinvest in bridge and the community and helps us grow this fund.

Unlike charities with a paid administrative staff, the CVBF Board and its many volunteers contribute their time without remuneration. Please consider a donation to CVBF during the holidays when you decide how to allocate your charitable gifts or bequests and remember your gift is tax deductible.
Happy Holidays!

Thank you,

Bev

.

Remiders:

• No Parking south of the Hydrant on the Cook Street side of the building.  Unlimited Parking at the Hampton Inn.
• Bridge teachers wishing to hold late winter classes at DBC should contact vpein@dc.rr.com  now to reserve space on the Winter Class schedule.
• We still need volunteers for our Guaranteed Partner Program!  Earn free plays at Duncan for participating! e/mail bevhartin@aol.com
• Use the “Reservation” tab on the web site menu www.duncanbridgecenter.com to make your game reservations. If you don’t have a partner and
  plan on coming, enter GP for guaranteed partner as your partner!  Tom asked me to let you know that reservations can not be held after 12:50 PM!
• Use the “Partneship” tab on the website menu to find a partner.
• The Center is run by volunteers, please dispose of your cups and used items after the game to make it easier on them. This is our home.
  Thanks!

Welcome back Snow Birds!!

Congratulations to raffle winners Jackie Williams, Marci Greer, Colleen Farber and Elsie Marsh!  Each went home last Sunday with a free “Pro-Play” game donated by Jim Darvey, Ross Grabel, Irv Kostal and Jon Wittes.  Thank you, gentlemen, for your contribution and making our birthday celebration so much fun and so successful!

Guaranteed Partners:  Starting this Monday, October 24th, all 1:00PM games, including weekends, will have a guaranteed partner standing by to play with YOU!  You can just show up to play, or use our online partnership:  click on “Partnership” on the menu item at the top of the page.

Online Reservation Page:  Games are growing.  Please make your reservations:  click on “Reservations“ on the menu at the top of the page.  You can cancel or double-check your reservations by clicking on the “My Resos” menu item.  Your User ID is your full e/mail address and the pass word is:  notrump.  If you’re having trouble, please contact bevhartin@aol.com

Sundays with Rhoda:  Free roundtable discussion with our own Rhoda Walsh, Grand Life Master, at 12:15PM, before the game!

New Games:  Saturday Mornings:  9:00 AM  0-5 Instructional Play with Terry Cox/Vicki Pein.  This game is held alongside and is in addition to Jane Patchet’s 0-199 game.  Come early, all are welcome to
enjoy Jane’s mini less at 8:45.

Thursday Mornings:  0-49 at 9:00 AM is back for supervised play.  Win masterpoints.

Thursday Evenings:  Play in this Open Pairs game at 6:30 PM.  Your support of this game directly benefits Duncan Bridge Center.  Mentors play free.

Wednesday Evenings:  Kitty Bridge returns with Jamie on November 2 at 6:30 PM.  Under the new format, players will be handicapped to allow “C” players a great chance at winning the KITTY.  The
game will be stratified, as usual, for purposes of master points.

Sunday Swiss Teams:  October 30th is the last Sunday of the month.  Get your team together and make a reservation with Jamie for this first GNT qualifying team game!

Mizell Games:  Jane’s Tuesday 1:00 PM for 499ers will continue as usual.  Starting on this Friday, October 28th at 1:00 PM, open pairs will return to Mizell Center.  We are pleased to be able
to accommodate players preferring this venue in the west valley.

Coming Soon:  Super A Section — Weekdays at 1:00 PM.

• Winter Classes are filling fast.  There are still some slots open in some classes!  Click on “Bridge Classes” at the top of the menu.
• DBC launches the New Year with a GUARANTEED PARTNER program for all our desert duplicate bridge players at both the 1:00 PM Open Pairs and 299er games starting this week!  If you can’t find a partner, just show up to play!  If you prefer, please visit our online partnership desk.  Just click on “Partnerships” on the menu above.  Contact philouie2@yahoo.com to participate as a volunteer and learn about the perks with this new program.
• Thursday evening, January 13,  Open Pairs game includes home cooked Italian Buffet Dinner…and BIG POINTS ACBL CHARITY GAME! aka “Hearts and Heartburn” (Bev is cooking) to celebrate the reopening of the Center with our now 50 table capacity.   Dinner at 5:45 PM; Game starts at 6:00  (Please e/mail bevhartin@aol.com for dinner reservations.)
• More BIG POINTS CHARITY GAME on Friday, January 14, at 1:00 PM, both Open and 299er.
• Upcoming One Day Workshops:
  ·         January 24, 8:30AM to 11:00AM “Play Like the Hideous Hog”
   One of the favorite characters in bridge literature is Victor Mollo’s Hideous Hog. The Hog loves to declare every hand and like all experts, the Hog expects to win his 50% finesses 8 or 9 times out of 10! You, too, can learn to play like the Hideous Hog and improve your odds at the bridge table.   Hospitality at 8:30 AM Lecture at 9:00 AM sharp.  Cost is $25 and all proceeds will be donated to DBC by hosts Guy and Karol Monroe.~Adapted from materials by Audrey Grant
  .          January 26,  6:30 PM to 9:30 PM “Think Like an Expert”—Bridge Logic”
  Learn hand evaluation, memory aides, subtractive logic or “who doesn’t have what.”  Locate strength by which player does NOT bid.  Bid your partner’s hand by balancing…and much more.  The cost is $25.  Join instructor Dave White, ACBL Tournament Director to pick his brain clean.

NOTICE TO FALL “BACK TO BRIDGE” Students: The final class for Tuesday Evening and Friday Morning students will be held on January 4th and January 7th respectively!

Best wishes for a very Happy New Year!  We’re not quite done, but come home to Duncan and watch the progress!   The Center will partially reopen on Monday, December 27.  There is some work yet to do, but we’ve heard from so many of you wishing to get back “home” that we will do it!  We will still be limited in seating until all the work is completed.  299er games will be held at the Hampton Inn this week.  Wednesday night bridge is canceled this week and will return as “Thursday Night Bridge” at DBC after the first of the year.

• The City of Palm Desert approved DBC expansion on December 21.  Thank you to all who attended and to all who wrote in support.
• The coffee bar and restrooms need a few finishing touches, but the contractor can work “around” our games; carpet for the new space will be installed on Tuesday.
• Cancellations this week:  all morning games/classes and Wednesday evening DBC Open Pairs will be canceled so contractors can work.
• Correction:  Please contact Carole Sobel for partnership between 8:30 AM and 10:30 AM the day of the game philouie2@yahoo.com or 760 321 0789 – See our new Partnership page online at www.duncanbridgecenter.com – click on “Partnership” in the tab bar at the top of the screen.  Call 760 550 9066 FOR ALL OTHER INQUIRIES, Thank you!
• Continue to make your reservations for games at www.duncanbridgecenter.com – click on “Reservations” in the tab bar at the top of the screen.
• Remember to park north of the fire hydrant and tell Nick at Cook’s Liquor we sent you for a discount!  Unlimited parking at the Hampton Inn

Thanks to all Coachella Valley Duplicate Bridge Players for your support of our efforts to expand the Center to allow more players to experience all the Center has to offer. 

To read an article in the Desert Sun about the approval, click here.

DBC Schedule – Week of 12/20 thru 12/26

Center will be CLOSED 12/25 and 12/26.
May you have the happiest of Holiday Seasons and a Merry Christmas

During the last two weeks the Duncan Team has been busy preparing the Center for expansion and improved restroom facilities. The Center will reopen with its usual schedule of games on Monday, December 27 .

The following is the schedule for Monday-Friday 12/21 to 12/24:

ALL OPEN PAIRS 1:00 PM Games, Tom McCormick Directing
Homewood Suites Hotel, 36999 Cook Street, Palm Desert
Please continue to make your reservations by either calling Tom at 760-832-2705 or emailing tom@duncanbridgecenter.com. You may also book games online at www.duncanbridgecenter.com click on “Reservations” at the top of the menu screen.

299er 1:00 PM Games, Jana McCormick (Mon, Wed, Fri) and Jamie Alperin (Tue, Thur)
Hmpton Inn next to the Center, 74900 Gerald Ford Drive, Palm Desert
Please continue to make your reservations by either calling Jana at 760- 832-2704 or emailing jana@duncanbridgecenter.com. Jamie can be reached at 760-898-0322 or jamie@duncanbridgecenter.com.
Jana’s 299er game will be held alongside the Open Pairs Game at the Homewood Suites Hotel on Friday, December 24th (see address above). There will be NO CHANGE for Jana’s 12:30 PM game on Wednesday 12/22 at La Quinta Senior Center.

ALL MORNING AND EVENING CLASSES AND GAMES WILL BE POSTPONED FROM 12/20 THRU 12/26, including Jamie’s Monday night “Moonlight Bridge.”

The Winter Class Schedule will be released soon. Please watch for new additions and opportunities to learn and play.

If you’re looking for a partner please contact Carole Sobel NO LATER than two and a half hours prior to game time!  Calls after 10:30 AM for the 1:00 PM game can not be accommodated.   Carole can be reached at philouie2@yahoo.com or by calling 760 321 0789.  Watch for our guranteed partner program coming early next month!

Bev Grushkin is collecting recyclables and donating the redemption amount to Duncan Bridge Center. Please keep this in mind before you toss your bottles and cans. Be sure that no trash is placed in our recycle bin to make it easier on Bev in her effort.

Dear Fellow Bridge Players,

I hope you have enjoyed the Palm Springs Regional at the Westin this week. By all accounts, it has been a tremendous success. Nice job and kudos to Roberta Grubb Tournament Chair, her team and District 22!

Duncan Bridge Center will be CLOSED Christmas Day 12/25 and 12/26. I wish you all the happiest of Holiday Seasons and a Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it.

As many of you know, during this week the Duncan Team has been busy preparing the Center for expansion and improved restroom facilities. We had hoped to reopen the Center on Monday 12/20; however, the workers will need a few more days. We hope to display our improvements to you and resume 1:00 PM games on 12/24. We will send additional notice before then confirming the Friday game location, if work is not completed. Thank you for you letters and e/mails of support, but mostly for your understanding and patience.

The following is the schedule of games for Monday-Thursday 12/21 to 12/23:

ALL OPEN PAIRS 1:00 PM Games, please continue to make your reservations by either calling or emailing Tom, Jana or Jamie. You may also book games online at www.duncanbridgecenter.com click on “Reservations” at the top of the menu screen. The OPEN PAIRS games will be held at the Homewood Suites Hotel, 36999 Cook Street, Palm Desert. The Homewood can accommodate 36 tables of duplicate bridge for us on 12/20, 12/21, 12/22 and 12/23.

299er 1:00 PM Games will continue to be held at the Hampton Inn next to the Center on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 12/20, 12/21 and 12/23. The address is 74900 Gerald Ford Drive, Palm Desert. There will be NO CHANGE for Jana’s 12:30 PM game on Wednesday 12/22 at La Quinta Senior Center.

ALL MORNING AND EVENING CLASSES AND GAMES WILL BE POSTPONED FROM 12/20 THRU 12/26, including Jamie’s Monday night “Moonlight Bridge.”

It is with pleasure that the Coachella Valley Bridge Foundation announces and welcomes its newest board member and District 22 Goodwill Award Recipient, Beverly Hartin.

The Winter Class Schedule will be released soon. Please watch for new additions to the opportunities to learn and play.

If you’re looking for a partner please contact Carole Sobel NO LATER than an hour and a half before the game! Carole can be reached at philouie2@yahoo.com or by calling 760 321 0789.

Bev Grushkin is collecting recyclables and donating the redemption amount to Duncan Bridge Center. Please keep this in mind before you toss your bottles and cans. Be sure that no trash is placed in our recycle bin to make it easier on Bev in her effort.

Best wishes,
Judy McClintic, President CVBF

Read the Desert Sun article about the Duncan Bridge Center by clicking here.

New as of 12/2/10!

DBC as been able to secure the Palm Desert Hampton Inn for Jamie’s 299er duplicate bridge games and/or an extra section if the games are combined to allow three sections, if needed.   This additional capacity should help fill the need of Coachella Valley duplicate bridge players.

We have a 39 table capacity on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday reservations are strongly urged. Please click on the “Reservation” tab in our menu.

Dear fellow bridge players,

The Duncan Team met with the City of Palm Desert on Tuesday, November 30, to determine its requirements for addtional space in the adjoining suite–an expansion we have planned since our first few weeks of operation. We anticipate being able to resolve all issues with the City to our mutual satisfaction. We believe that this is what you, the players, want and we will respond by improving our premiere playing facility in the Coachella Valley. The additional space will give us extra rest room facilities and a coffee bar with sink.

Sadly, due to numerous and daily complaints by some in the community who are not so pleased with our success, we must limit the main room to a maximum of 100 people until the city’s processes are complete. When completed, Duncan hopes to provide you with as many as 50 tables as early as the 22nd of December. As you know, all clubs will be closed during the week of the regional tournament from 12/13 thru 12/19–when we plan on doing the majority of the construction.

The good news is, we have secured additional space at the Hampton Inn which has a lovely conference room and can accommodate at least 14 tables for our Monday and Friday duplicate bridge games–our busiest days. By adding the 14 tables to our existing space at DBC, we will be able to accommodate a total of 39 duplicate bridge tables on these days. To assure your space, please make your reservations ahead of time at www.duncanbridgecenter.com; click on the “Reservation” tab at the top of the home screen.

I encourage you to please let the City of Palm Desert know how much you value the Duncan Bridge Center at http://www.cityofpalmdesert.org/index.aspx?recordid=25&page=14. Your voices need to be heard too ; right now the City is only hearing the negative ones.

Please arrive early at DBC to process your entries so we can finish the game early. Remember, in the front of the building, you must park north of the fire hydrant. Hampton Inn has given us unlimited parking too.

As always, I am available to answer your questions openly and honestly. I apologize for this temporary inconvenience.

Sincerely,
Bev Hartin
760 318 4266 home
818 652 8629 cell