Laura Pauli (left) receives a donation to SaddleBrooke Community Outreach from Bonnie Goldman (right) and the SaddleBrooke Ranch Mah Jongg players after the order of new National Mah Jongg League cards.
Bonnie Goldman
Mah Jongg is a popular game at SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR). We have many players who are new to the game and people who have played for years. Weekly games are played on Thursdays starting at 12:30 p.m. at La Hacienda Club (and sometimes lessons), coordinated by Gail Latimer and Bonnie Goldman. There are many private groups that have weekly games played in their homes.
All of us play with an annual card, published by the National Mah Jongg League (NMJL). The card contains all of the official hands that can be played that year. This will be the seventh year that I will place an SBR group order to the NMJL. For every card in the order, they donate $5 plus bonuses to our charity, the SaddleBrooke Community Outreach organization.
Last year 293 cards were ordered through me. This order was submitted under the name “SaddleBrooke Ranch Mah Jongg Players.” I received a check for $1,485 (a new record!) from the NMJL, which was donated to SaddleBrooke Community Outreach in a check presented to Laura Pauli, president, on Oct. 18.
Because this project has been so successful, I will again coordinate ordering the 2025 cards for SBR residents and others who wish to participate.
I will start collecting money for the cards a little earlier than last year. This is not a problem. They do not process payments and requests for cards any earlier than last year, and my collection dates are perfectly in tune with NMJL’s requests for order deadlines. Those of us who are “collectors” get priority over individual card purchases. No one gets their cards sent out until the end of March even the first week in April. So, there is no rush to get the orders into the system any earlier than my last collection date. This year I just will be able to start a bit earlier than last year.
The price for a Large print card is $15, and the price for a Standard print card is $14. You may purchase as many as you would like.
Starting on Jan. 6 until Jan. 24, 2025, there will be a box inside my front security screen at 61387 E. Arbor Basin Dr. where you can drop off your cash or check payment. Please make out the check to me and I will send one big check to the NMJL. Please just enter, no need to ring the doorbell, unless the security gate is locked. I will be locking it after dark each day and opening it in the morning. Please call me if we somehow don’t coordinate at 520-818-3759 or email me at [email protected]. I must receive your order and payment before Jan. 25. If you are not in the SBR HOA online directory and did not order from me last year, please include your mailing address and NMJL # if you have one, if not please make sure the email address is the same as the one you’ve previously used with NMJL. If you are new to purchasing a NMJL card, just your name, email address, and phone number are sufficient. If you did order from me last year and have changed your address or email address, please let me know. The NMJL uses last year’s order as a reference. The cards will be directly mailed to you from the NMJL in the last few days of March or the first week in April. If you are placing an order for a group of people, please provide the names and addresses of the members so that I can enter them individually on the order, and they will receive their card and the catalog for next year.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Happy Holidays! Thanks!