HAWKS Nest Bridge Club (HNBC) members raised a glass in honour of much-loved former players at a memorial commemoration on Friday 20 February.
“This past year we have said goodbye to two members, Beth Williams and Laurice Chivers,” HNBC President Peter Baily told NOTA.
“Beth was one of our Club’s founding members and a past President, and Laurice was a long-standing member of the club.
“Both will be missed greatly.”
As is tradition each year in February, the memorial event was held in the HNBC clubhouse, which remains a source of great pride for the club.
Locally designed, the facility has seen club membership grow substantially since it was built.
After two years of planning and development applications and less than five months of construction, the clubhouse on Yamba Street was completed by January 2018, with the assistance of a loan from the Australian Bridge Foundation.
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down as of early 2020, the clubhouse was closed in accordance with public safety measures.
“Players were still able to play the card game online, and when we could, we brought in bigger tables to facilitate social distancing back in the clubhouse,” HNBC Secretary Leigh Wood told NOTA.
“We look after our people with a fully accessible clubhouse and a strong health policy, being realistic about what our membership may need to feel safe and looked after.”
The Bridge Club used its own money to purchase and install a defibrillator indoors, as well as a comprehensive health and safety kit.
HNBC will be running an Information Day on Thursday 5 March from 3pm, including short presentations by President Peter Baily and the club’s teachers, with free beginner lessons starting a week later.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
