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| OHCC LIVING | AUGUST 2025 | 37 Hello everyone. I'm honored — and yes, a bit nervous — to step in as your new president of the OHCC Billiards Club. I know I have big shoes to fill following Charlie Payne, whose grace and dedication have set a high bar for the past 12 years. I'll do my best to carry that torch with care. So, why me? Well, my qualifications go all the way back to freshman year at college. While some of my classmates were buried in textbooks, I spent most evenings in a cozy little bar in New Paltz, NY, majoring in nine-ball. After a first semester of Cs and Ds, I eventually made it to graduation. Then came a long break from pool as my wife and I raised our four kids. But once they were grown and on their own, I returned to the game I've always loved. I've been playing in the American Poolplayers Association (APA) and later in the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) for nearly 30 years. These days, I shoot weekly with a tight-knit four-person team. Sure, we play to win — but we mostly show up for the camaraderie. It's become a little circle of friendship. I hope we can grow that same spirit in our own pool room — where friends gather, laugh, compete, and build a deeper sense of community. With that in mind, I look forward to hearing your ideas. Some updates and new happenings: 1. Table Covers: The bulky covers have gone into storage, making life easier on the felt and our wrists. 2. New Weekly 9-Ball Tournament: Thanks to Ken Shafarman, we're starting a new ongoing 9-ball competition with a ladder format. 3. Weekly 3-Ball Tournament (coming soon): I'll be organizing a weekly 3-ball tournament — an easy, fun game where players try to pocket three balls in the fewest possible shots. It's fast, strategic, and great for honing position play. We may even run it on the snooker table for variety. About the recent "Not-A-Cue" Tournament: Nine creative competitors showed up wielding mop handles, broomsticks, golf clubs — even a fishing rod. Charlie Payne and Martin Bick delivered an impressive display of skill and strategy, but Martin came out on top! Charlie took second, and David rounded out third. Congrats not only on your pool shooting but also your inventive cue-making talents! Finally: As your new president, I welcome all ideas, feedback— and yes, even criticism. The best way to reach me is by phone or text at (619) 813-7013. I'll do my best to respond within 24 hours. Looking forward to a fun and friendly season ahead! Written by Harris Golden Billiards Bingo Bingo at OHCC is getting more and more popular. Currently we host over 200 residents and guests each month. Jackpots are getting larger each month because the number of players is larger. The oohs and aahs are loudly heard throughout the Hall when the amount of each jackpot is announced prior to each game. Usually there is "only" one Bingo winner per game and Jackpots can range from $100 to $500 depending on the game. On occasion there are two winners, very occasionally three winners. Once in recent memory there were four winners, but June had an unprecedented SIX yes, 6 winners for just one jackpot. Lynn and I actually had to put Bingo on hold for about 10 or so minutes while we scrambled to get the correct change and pay out $33 to each of our winners. I'm not sure what the statistics are of six people winning even are, but I'm sure it will be a story they can tell. Funny and sad all at the same time. There was one lady, Sandy, who won twice in the evening and if I remember correctly, she didn't have to share her jackpot either. Two amazing milestones in one evening. My poker friend, Dan, went to Bingo for the very first time and won $180. We teased him that M & Ms were on him for the next Poker game. Sure enough, he arrived at Poker with the sharing size bag of Peanut M & Ms. Aug. 16 is your next chance to see if you can win a Bingo Jackpot and hopefully NOT have to share it. We look forward to seeing you. Remember the doors open at 6:15 pm and the first call is at 6:45 pm. Last month there was some confusion about our sponsors. There was some switching, swapping, moving and such. Overall, a bit of a mix up. I want to thank all our sponsors from July, August and September. They are: July 19 - Sue Silva ice cream; Barbara DuDeck prizes. Aug. 16 - Rita Harper ice cream; Andrea Anderson prizes. Sept. 20 - Zoraya De La Batista, ice cream; Barbara DuDeck prizes. All these wonderful ladies are long-time sponsors and without their kind assistance, the oohs and aahs you hear when we mention our Jackpot prizes would not be nearly as loud. It doesn't matter what month they sponsor; they are all winners in our book. For more information, visit our website at: https://ohccbingo. wixsite.com/ohcc-bingo. Written by Adele Siesel, President of Bingo