HORN LAKE, Miss — Mid-South Bridge players are laying out their cards to help the Alzheimer’s Association.
The American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) is based out of Horn Lake, Mississippi. This summer, they raised more than $1 million for the Alzheimer’s Association with the Longest Day event.
And for the players, the game, and the fundraiser, is close to their hearts.
“I did lose my husband to Alzheimer’s. He died with early Alzheimer’s at age 60,” said Sharon Ohsfeldt, Bridge player with the ACBL. “I have been the person who does the Alzheimer’s events - every time since he passed away - here at the club in his honor.”
“We have a lot of members who are either caregivers or who have been touched by this disease as well,” said Stephanie Threlkeld, Manager of Education and Marketing with the ACBL.
The ACBL is the sanctioning body for the game of bridge in North America. Almost 10 years ago, the Alzheimer’s Association started a new fundraiser called The Longest Day, and the ACBL was an inaugural partner.
“The Alzheimer’s Association, The Longest Day is absolutely a worthy cause,” said Threlkeld. “This year the American Contract Bridge League clubs in the United States and Mexico broke a million. We were so excited.”
More than 300 of their clubs participated in this fundraiser. Some of the clubs were playing face-to-face and some of them online.
“The way they raise the money, some of them run auctions or they will run fundraising dinners or dances. And then on The Longest Day they play bridge all day long and then donate the proceeds to the Alzheimer’s Association,” said Threlkeld. “It was done on the summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year. They chose that day to honor the people, the caregiver, the people with Alzheimer’s. Because for them, a lot of times, every day is the longest day of the year.”
“My husband would be very proud that we are raising money for Alzheimer’s. Because he was very interested in Alzheimer’s research and what could have been done to help him and maybe what could help others,” said Ohsfeldt.
The ACBL said bridge is better for cognitive reasons than sudoku and crossword puzzles because of the social aspect.
“There’s some research that shows doing activities that challenge your mind but that are also social can help delay the onset of cognitive impairment,” said Threlkeld. “Bridge is the perfect game for that because it is mentally challenging. Each hand is a brand-new puzzle. Then it’s also social because it’s a partnership game. You’re playing with your partner and you’re also playing against other people.”
“Bridge is so fun! I absolutely love it! My funnest day in the entire world is playing tennis in the morning, bridge in the afternoon, and then going out to dinner in the afternoon so that I don’t have to cook,” said Lisa Harris, a player with the ACBL.
“I am a retired engineer, so it really feeds my mathematical brain and I love the camaraderie,” said Lori, another player. “We very much hope that we’re exercising our brains enough that it won’t happen to us.”
The Alzheimer’s Association also teams up with the league to help its members.
“The Alzheimer’s Association has done a special webinar just for our members talking to them about what the latest research is and letting them know some of the advances, so they really see where their money’s going,” said Threlkeld. “We are also gonna be working with the Alzheimer’s Association to hold support groups, online support group, specifically just for ACBL members - probably a once-a-month support group - that the Alzheimer’s Association is going to moderate.”
“I want everybody to come out and learn to play bridge,” said Harris. “It is an amazing game that you can play your whole life."
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