This spring we will roll out a new semi-annual newsletter. Our target date for the inaugural issue is late April 2021. It will be web-based and hosted on our website (d19.org). We will send out an email to all D19 members (at least the ones with email addresses) advising when each new issue is posted. In addition to highlighting player achievements and updates from the District, we look forward to having challenging hands to review, news from the local Units and more. Anyone have any good bridge jokes they want to share? We welcome your submissions, suggestions and ideas of all types. Please email them to: D19news@mail.com
D19 Regionals cancelled until fall 2021
The following District 19 Regional Tournaments have been cancelled for 2021: Victoria (originally scheduled for April), Penticton (June) and Lynwood (August).
Whistler is still in the cards, so to speak, and could be held at the end of October or the beginning of November. A final decision will be made by D19’s Board no later than the end of May.
ACBL extends face-to-face tournament cancellations through April 30, 2021
Here’s ACBL Executive Director Joseph Jones’s full text:
Due to the ongoing risk posed by the surging coronavirus and the slow rollout of the vaccine, the ACBL will not staff face-to-face bridge tournaments through April 30, 2021.
This means all Sectionals and Regionals scheduled during this period have been canceled. Consistent with this decision, the ACBL is also canceling the sanctions for any remaining Non-Life Master Tournaments or other bridge tournaments through the end of April where ACBL Tournament Directors are not technically required.
We will contact you by March 1 if the moratorium will be extended past April 30.
Online events, including Regional-rated tournaments, will continue to be offered along with chances to win gold, silver, red and black masterpoints®. Click here for the 2021 schedule of online events. More details can be found at www.acbl.org/virtual.
Sincerely,
Joseph Jones
ACBL Executive Director
January 12, 2021
D19 director Julie Smith resigns
Julie Smith, has resigned as District 19 representative to the ACBL Board of Directors due to pressing family matters. Read her final Director’s Report here: December 2020 Report for D19.
Tim White, who was First Alternate District Director is now D19’s representative on the ACBL Board of Directors.
ACBL cancels all sectionals and regionals for 2020
On June 17, ACBL announced it will not staff any sectionals or regionals with tournament directors for the remainder of 2020.
This removes any possibility for face-to-face tournaments during the balance of the year but does not preclude online tournaments from taking place.
Further tournament cancellations
As many anticipated, the two remaining D19 Regionals for 2020 have been cancelled, due of course to the Covid situation. These tournaments are the Puget Sound Regional (Lynnwood) and the Leavenworth Regional.
We remain optimistic that the 2021 Victoria Regional, planned for April-12-18 will be able to go ahead. Stay tuned!
Most Sectional tournaments have also been cancelled.
ACBL Board of Governors Elections Filing
Any District ACBL member 18 years or older in good standing can make a written declaration of candidacy for the January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023 term.
Declarations must be received by the ACBL Director of Elections, Kelley Trejo, by 31 May 2020.
Declarations may be sent:
1. by mail, addressed to
ACBL Director of Elections
PO Box 289,
Horn Lake, MS 38637-0289
2. hand delivered;
3. by email to kelleytrejo@acbl.org or elections@acbl.org.
In the past the BOD has met at each NABC and reviews actions taken by the ACBL Board of Directors and makes recommendations to the BOD.
COVID-19: An update for District 19 membership from the Board of Directors
The District 19 Board of Directors is doing its best to navigate the challenges and uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Board members are monitoring developments in policies and guidance from national, regional and local government authorities in Canada and US, and the ACBL. We review, discuss and evaluate implications and plans for D19-sponsored events going forward. We will keep D19 membership apprised of developments as they take place. Please see below an update on upcoming events:
D19 Burnaby Regional (April 6-12, 2020) – Notice of cancellation of this tournament was provided to D19 membership via email on March 17, 2020.
D19 Grand National Teams (GNT) Finals – The D19 GNT Finals scheduled for April 18 & 19 at the Vancouver Bridge Centre are cancelled. The D19 Board is exploring recovery plans for this event. The ACBL Board of Directors has re-scheduled the North American GNT Finals from NABC Montreal in July to NABC Tampa this fall. (ACBL will be establishing the dates of the GNT Finals to be held at Tampa.) Districts are now given until October 1, 2020 to hold their district GNT Finals. The D19 Board is exploring the alternatives of running this event face-2-face, as it has been, or online. More information on plans for D19 GNT Finals will be announced when it becomes available.
D19 Penticton Regional (June 15-21, 2020) – At present, this tournament is still “on.” Financial and other considerations bearing on the decision whether to proceed with the tournament are under review. The D19 Board will further discuss the situation during its telephonic board meeting the week of April 21. We expect to make a final decision about Penticton no later than May 1.
ACBL’s North American NAP Finals – Last fall’s 2019 D19 NAP Finals qualified pairs for ACBL’s North American NAP Finals that were to have been held at the cancelled NABC Columbus. To recover the North American NAP Finals, the ACBL Board of Directors has decided that the event will take place at NABC Montreal in July. (ACBL will be establishing the dates of the NAP Finals to be held at Montreal.) If NABC Montreal were to be cancelled, the event would then be down streamed to NABC Tampa and run on dates not to conflict with the GNT Finals to be held at Tampa. The D19 NAP Coordinator will continue to coordinate plans with pairs who qualified last fall for the North American NAP Finals.
We regret the impacts this situation is having on clubs, units and players. We will continue to look and plan ahead in pursuit of the best available plans under the circumstances.
Thank you for your understanding,
D19 Board of Directors
COVID-19: An update for District 19 membership from the Board of Directors
The District 19 Board of Directors is doing its best to navigate the challenges and uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Board members are monitoring developments in policies and guidance from national, regional and local government authorities in Canada and US, and the ACBL. We review, discuss and evaluate implications and plans for D19-sponsored events going forward. We will keep D19 membership apprised of developments as they take place. Please see below an update on upcoming events:
D19 Burnaby Regional (April 6-12, 2020) – Notice of cancellation of this tournament was provided to D19 membership via email on March 17, 2020.
D19 Grand National Teams (GNT) Finals – The D19 GNT Finals scheduled for April 18 & 19 at the Vancouver Bridge Centre are cancelled. The D19 Board is exploring recovery plans for this event. The ACBL Board of Directors has re-scheduled the North American GNT Finals from NABC Montreal in July to NABC Tampa this fall. (ACBL will be establishing the dates of the GNT Finals to be held at Tampa.) Districts are now given until October 1, 2020 to hold their district GNT Finals. The D19 Board is exploring the alternatives of running this event face-2-face, as it has been, or online. More information on plans for D19 GNT Finals will be announced when it becomes available.
D19 Penticton Regional (June 15-21, 2020) – At present, this tournament is still “on.” Financial and other considerations bearing on the decision whether to proceed with the tournament are under review. The D19 Board will further discuss the situation during its telephonic board meeting the week of April 21. We expect to make a final decision about Penticton no later than May 1.
ACBL’s North American NAP Finals – Last fall’s 2019 D19 NAP Finals qualified pairs for ACBL’s North American NAP Finals that were to have been held at the cancelled NABC Columbus. To recover the North American NAP Finals, the ACBL Board of Directors has decided that the event will take place at NABC Montreal in July. (ACBL will be establishing the dates of the NAP Finals to be held at Montreal.) If NABC Montreal were to be cancelled, the event would then be down streamed to NABC Tampa and run on dates not to conflict with the GNT Finals to be held at Tampa. The D19 NAP Coordinator will continue to coordinate plans with pairs who qualified last fall for the North American NAP Finals.
We regret the impacts this situation is having on clubs, units and players. We will continue to look and plan ahead in pursuit of the best available plans under the circumstances.
Thank you for your understanding,
D19 Board of Directors
Important notice: Board Elections for the 2021-2023 term
To members of Units 446, 430, 436, 442, 448, 450, 453, 454, 455, 428, 433, 437, 439, 441 443, & 451
Please be advised that new three-year terms are approaching for District Board members to be elected to represent the Seattle Unit, the Vancouver B.C. Unit, the eastern Washington Units at large, and the western Washington Units at large on the District Board for the 2021-2023 term.
Full details on how to declare your candidacy are found in our Governance section. You can also click here for direct access. Note that the deadline is 15 July 2020.