One of Orillia's longest-standing clubs is seeking new members.
The Orillia Duplicate Bridge Club has been in operation for about 70 years. President Sandra Monk credits the longevity of the club to "the best game in the world."
"It's fun, it's challenging and it's competitive," she said. "It can be played at a lot of different levels. Once you get the bug, you are dedicated."
The not-for-profit club meets every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Masonic Hall on James Street. While the club used to have more than 200 members, it's seen a steady decline in recent years.
"Unfortunately, it's become a seniors' game," Monk said. "Our games are played in the afternoon because seniors don't want to go out at night, which is true for seniors in clubs all over the country."
She says the club lost a lot of its members during the COVID-19 pandemic and they never returned.
"People found playing online more convenient," she said. "It's unfortunate because I think the social atmosphere of meeting and being with other people is better than being in front of a computer."
She hopes the club can attract enough new members to keep the group viable, but it's going to be a challenge.
"It's not an easy game to learn," she said. "The learning curve is pretty steep, but there are a couple of online programs that are geared to helping people learn about what the game is all about and play quickly."
Bridge includes three important aspects: bidding, playing the hand, and defending.
"There is a lot to learn in all of those areas," Monk admitted. "It is challenging in the beginning and most people need to take lessons."
To get more people involved, the club is now offering lessons for beginners. Players will learn the basics of the game under the guidance of a certified teacher.
"You will learn enough to start playing," Monk said. "Although, you will never stop learning about this game. That's the beauty of it."
Even after playing for 60 years, Monk says she learns new methods and strategies all of the time.
"You never play the same hand twice," she said. "It always forces you to keep learning."
She says bridge is a competitive game that always leaves players wanting more.
"You always want to sharpen your game," she said. "Once you start playing a lot, you want to keep getting better."
The weekly two-hour lessons cost $100 for 10 sessions. To register, Monk asks players to contact education co-ordinator Silvia Minassian at [email protected].
"We hope these lessons will bring in some new people," Monk said. "We want to introduce some new people who want to learn about the game."
