Card games at senior center

“Have you seen her garden?”

“Forget about that, wait until you see the inside of her house…”

Conversation is lively as people arrive and settle in for Friday afternoon card games at the Waseca Senior Citizens Center. The Bridge players have a 12:15 start time; 500 players don’t officially begin until 1:00, when a bell is rung to let everyone know the games they are playing are no longer “just practice.”

On this particular Friday, 24 folks have gathered from quite a wide area to play 500. Regular participants LaVonne Kalke and Sharon Smith indicate occupants of various tables who have come from Wells, New Richland, Owatonna, Pemberton, Morristown, and Faribault. Smith, who lives in Wells, mentions that she also goes to Thursday afternoon games at the Easton senior center.

And what’s the attraction?  “Social interaction,” says Kalke, as though the answer is obvious.

“A chance to get out and talk with people,” answers Smith.

Alvin Miller, a now-retired farmer who operated a hog farm in Blooming Grove Township much of his life, says he rarely misses one of the Friday-afternoon tournaments. He qualifies himself as a slightly-above-average card player, but states that winning or losing are not really the objective. “It’s meeting people,” he says. “It’s visiting with folks.”

Player Nancy Berndt of Waseca agrees. “It’s more fun when there are lots of players,” she observes. “And the most fun of all when you’re winning.”

“I like winning,” agrees Edy Barber. “But then, I think we all do.” She goes on to say, though, that win or lose, the card games are an enjoyable part of her week.

The system at the Waseca senior center is that each player provides a $2 ante at the 1:00 start time. Tables of 4 compete, and at regular intervals the winning pair receives a punch and rotates forward. At the 3:00 finish time, the players with the most punches are proclaimed the winners and are refunded their $2 entry fee.  The two who place second are refunded $1. 

With playing finished for the day, everyone enjoys coffee and a treat–today’s will be apple turnovers, according to center director, Tarin Kuball. “Then everybody chats and visits until we tell them they have to leave,” she adds lightheartedly.

Over at the Bridge-playing side of the room, numbers are somewhat smaller and expectations are slightly different. For one thing, according to coordinator and player Don Frankenberry Sr, Bridge players are asked to sign up a week in advance so that everything possible can be done to arrange for full tables of 4 players each.

Today, despite Frankenberry’s efforts, there are 7 players. This leads to the difficult circumstance of one person from the four-player table having to “fill in” at certain points at the three-player table. “It’s not how we like to do it,” says player Robert Hunter, “but we’re doing the best we can under the circumstances.”

At this point Frankenberry calls out, “Tell people we need more players! We’ll take them even if they can only come once in a while!”

Throughout the games, playing and banter continue. Every now and then, 500 player Smith checks on her small white dog, Ohso Cute, now 16 years old. Housed in a stroller, Ohso looks on patiently as play continues. Smith mentions that’s one reason she’s chosen the Waseca card tournament–management had no objection to the dog's presence.

In among the players, director Tarin Kuball and volunteer Kari Kuball (her mother) watch the activity while also preparing the center’s monthly newsletter for mailing. Tarin explains the center has about 260 members who receive the newsletter. Joining is only a matter of completing a brief form and paying a $10 annual fee–there is no minimum age or residency requirement.

She explains that the center receives funding from the United Way and from both the county and city governments. Her job as director is to plan and coordinate the activities which fill the calendars currently being mailed.

In addition to the Friday afternoon card games, the center holds Bingo on Wednesdays beginning at 12:30 p.m. The schedule includes 20 games of Bingo followed by a snack. On the second Thursday of each month there is a $5 “Bingo Supper.” Lasting from 3 to 5 p.m., the event follows the agenda provided by its name: About 2 hours of Bingo followed by a supper prepared by some of the center’s members. “And they’re good cooks,” says Kari. “So it’s a good time to be here.” 

Also on the center’s weekly schedule is an afternoon of pool which begins each Tuesday at 1:00, for which roughly a dozen people usually come.

The newest weekly event, begun a few months ago, is a Euchre tournament, also held on Tuesdays beginning at 1. So far, about 8 people typically arrive for that. Afterwards is–who could’ve guessed–coffee and a treat.

Also offered at the center are “Stay Active and Independent for Life” (S.A.I.L.) exercise classes each Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The center is closed on Mondays.

“We look for activities and events that help make life a little better,” observes director Tarin. Indicating the very full calendar in the newsletter, she comments, “We’re always open to new ideas and suggestions.

“It’s fulfilling to see all these folks getting together and enjoying each others’ company.”