– By Karen Utzinger
The Savannah Duplicate Bridge Club (SDBC), located in Sandfly, plans to send its volunteers back into the Isle of Hope School this fall as part of an after school program to teach bridge to middle schoolers.
The program began last year and was enthusiastically received by both the children and the administration of the school.
SDBC member and Landings resident Sydney Rangeley spearheaded the program as a member of the educational committee of the member-owned club. Over 300 members bought the club last year from Veroica Ruggles who had run it on her own for 17 years.
The newly-formed club is reaching out to the community to educate youngsters about the fascinating age-old game of bridge. Sydney approached IOH School through her friend, teacher Ann Riddell, whom Sydney knew through the L.O.V.E. after-school tutoring program. At least seven members of SDBC participated in the inaugural bridge program at the school with Mike Sueirro as head instructor; Sydney, Jackie Brasher, Carol and Barry Kumins, Renate Jacobs and Carole Sutphen.
This fall Perry Trilling will be the head teacher for the classes. Fourth and fifth graders learned the basics of the game of bridge-about the numbers on the cards, the suits, the ranking of suits, how to sort the cards, how to shuffle and how to play Whist (which eventually became auction bridge and then contract bridge).
The idea behind the school’s incorporation of this program is simple. According to the letter that went home to parents about the program, the school wanted “students to explore mathematics using cards, learn better cooperation skills, develop critical thinking and make new friends.”
The program is once a week on Wednesdays after school. Sydney has also initiated successful after-school programs at Bethesda Academy and Savannah Classical Academy.
The SDBC is located at 8511 Ferguson Ave., Suite D, in Savannah, GA. The phone number is 912-228-4838 and the website is www.bridgewebs.com/savannahclubs. It is accredited by the ACBL.