Community Corner

Bridge Partners Reunite at Riderwood Retirement Community

Players find the bridge games to be brain-challenging and fun.

 

Mary Connolly and Marcie Davis first met when they were neighbors and friends in Rockville, MD. They reunited at Riderwood retirement community—located at 3140 Gracefield Road— through their passion for playing bridge. Their 25-year card-playing journey together is one they never imagined.

Learning bridge has been an adventure of sorts for Mary and Marcie. Both enjoyed cards as youngsters and look back fondly on games of "Hearts" and "Old Maid." But those games weren't as stimulating as bridge, and Mary was ready to move on.

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While still in high school, Mary signed up for a bridge course which became her new diversion. Marcie is self taught, but when she and Mary met up as neighbors, she took up the game seriously.

Both were busy raising children—Mary has seven and Marcie has four. But bridge was their avocation, and many times their husbands or older children served as baby sitters while they pursued their pastime.

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While their children were growing up, they joined other friends for socializing, relaxing, and card playing. But as they became older, many in the group began to drift away, some moving to Leisure World and other venues.

For a while, the two met at Leisure World with their friends. But when Marcie moved to Riderwood eight years ago, Mary pulled up stakes and also moved to Riderwood a year later.

With more time on their hands, they renewed their bridge obsession. Today, some of their Leisure World friends come to Riderwood to join them in a game or two.

Mary admits to competing four nights a week, and Marcie to at least three. Occasionally they substitute for absent players. The two are familiar figures at the tables at Riderwood. Occasionally, they play for money, but the winning rewards are small and a limited to a split of entry fees of 59 cents or $1 for each player.

The total sum is divided each night among first, second and third high scorers, with a small amount going as the "booby prize" to the low scorer.

For the most part the players find the bridge games to be brain-challenging and fun. Time at the beginning and end of play also provides an opportunity to exchange news and gossip. After all, this is what friends like to do.


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