Muswellbrook Bridge Club members are next month celebrating 50 years of the group keeping minds active and forming lifelong friendships.
Barbra Hunter has is one of only four people to hold the role of president of the club, and shared that cards were always a part of her life, playing various games as a child with family, and when the chance to learn bridge came up she was more than up for the challenge.
“In 1975 we were in Muswellbrook with the Commonwealth Bank for nine months, and they used to play social bridge, there were a lot of social bridge players in the district,” she recalled.
“I got my first introduction to bridge in those nine months that we were here before they sent Col to Merriwa as manager.”
There were not enough players in Merriwa at the time for Barbra to practice with, and over the following 10 years moving around with her late husband’s work Barbra got to play in a few different towns before returning to Muswellbrook.
A week after moving back she was back to the Muswellbrook Bridge Club, which at the time was a much busier evening group. They now meet during the day once a week, with some smaller offshoots forming of other social players.
“I don’t know what I would do without my bridge,” Barbra shared, adding she plays up to three times a week.
“I would have to say that bridge has opened doors, that’s what it’s done.”
Muswellbrook Bridge Club and its members have welcomed some very special guests and opportunities over the years, with a number of high ranking players and officials attending the annual Congress event held each year.
The Mrs M Davies Centenary Congress, held in February of 1999 at the Liddell and Bayswater Social Club, attracted 140 players.
This is just a snippet of the history covered in a book compiled by committee member Emil Batista using the record books of Muswellbrook Bridge Club.
It will be launched at the anniversary luncheon that is being held on July 15 for current and past members of the club.
There will be presentations of pins, addresses by current and past players and a slideshow to reflect on the clubs past.
The committee has tried to contact past members to invite them, but encourage anyone who has had an association with the club to reach out for information about the anniversary event.
Anyone interested in more information on join is also encouraged to get in touch, contact Emil Batista on 0448 928 919.
