Gifts, Generosity, and Games!

Happy Holidays, District 21! As we close another remarkable year of bridge, it’s time to celebrate the spirit of the season—marked by gifts, generosity, and, of course, games.

Gifts: Let’s start with a gift just for you! District 21 is pleased to announce a blanket license agreement with Pianola, offering every unit in the district unlimited access to Pianola’s powerful email marketing tools. Whether you’re promoting a local game or your next sectional, Pianola’s Marketing Solutions make it easy to target players by geography, masterpoints, playing frequency, and more. You’ll also have access to enhanced templates designed by the ACBL, enabling you to send unlimited emails with ease. If your unit isn’t yet set up with Pianola, don’t worry—we’re here to help! Reply to this email and we’ll be in touch.

Generosity: Speaking of gifts, bridge thrives because of the generosity of our volunteers. Whether running tournaments, mentoring newcomers, or working behind the scenes at the unit and district levels, these individuals are the heart of our community. In this issue, we celebrate some of our exceptional volunteers.

In her report, Gail Gabiati, Chair of the D21 Goodwill Committee, announces the 2024 Goodwill Award recipients. D21 President Anne Hollingworth also honors outstanding contributors with her President’s Awards. Be sure to check their reports to learn more about these inspiring honorees. The next time you see these incredible volunteers, take a moment to thank them—our bridge community wouldn’t be possible without their dedication and effort.

Games: Now, onto what we all look forward to—games! District 21 has plenty to offer:

The Monterey Regional (January 6–12): Kick off the new year at one of our most popular regionals! Enjoy the stunning venue, exciting competition, and camaraderie. The D21 NAP finals will take place during the last two days of the tournament. Don’t miss your chance to represent D21 at the Spring NABC in Memphis. Check Jim’s report for full details, including dates, times, and to check whether you’ve qualified.

Grand National Teams (GNT): Ready to test your skills? Form a team and aim to represent D21 in the GNT Finals at the Summer NABC in Philadelphia. For details on the D21 qualifying events , flights, and how to register your team, see Grant’s report.

2025 Regionals: Tournament co-chairs Anne Wilson and Brenda Hatton are working hard to plan next year’s events. If their plans for Monterey are anything to go by, we’re in for a great year of Regionals. Stay tuned!

A Final Thought: Bridge is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s a gift we share through the generosity of our time and efforts. District 21 relies on volunteers. Please consider getting involved in 2025 — serving on a committee or your Unit Board, mentoring newer players, or assisting at tournaments. Together, we ensure our bridge community continues to thrive and grow.