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"In the spirit of Nina"
the late Nina Hewitt
Today is Dunedin’s day. Our “Hand of the Day” features Brad Johnston from his weekend success in the Victor Champion Teams. This article remembers a club stalwart from a past age whose name carries on with an end-of-season tournament at the Otago Bridge Club; well in normal times. In Covid times, things are a bit different. Over to Otago Club Captain, Phil Noye, to explain.
"The Otago Bridge Club traditionally ends its tournament calendar with the Nina Hewitt Pairs, a 3A Open tournament. However, the uncertainty of covid restrictions and some unease amongst members resulted in an early cancellation of the 2021 event.
Still wanting to remember our much -valued friend, team mate, opponent, President, Vice President and Club Captain, we decided to hold a club charity afternoon last Sunday in her memory.
They played in memory of Nina
Suitably dubbed, ‘in the spirit of Nina’, the afternoon replicated the many similar events that Nina regularly played in and helped organize when at the club’s helm.
The event attracted a mixed grade field of 16 tables, under the watchful eye of stalwart director Lindsay Gunn, who went above and beyond by also providing the cheese scones for the afternoon tea.
Phil Noye presides over the food parcels
The chosen charity was the city’s Foodbank Xmas Appeal to which players contributed a donation (food or present) as part of their entry fee as seen above. Their cash entry fee and the raffles’ proceeds were also all donated, and after a late addition contribution to ‘round up the sum’, we were very pleased to add a cash gift of $1000 to Foodbank.
The enjoyable afternoon saw four winning pairs across the grades win a box of chocolates; club members come together for some end of year fellowship; and a most fitting gift to our community around us, that Nina would have been ‘first in the queue’ to support.
What better way to end a disrupted and challenging year for us all - “in the spirit of Nina.”
Phil Noye, Club Captain, Otago Bridge Club
The above picture of Nina was taken when she was club President, in 2013/2014.Here are a couple more:
Nina with Dai Redshaw and with good friend and frequent
bridge partner, Dennis McCaughan
She died in June 2018.
Richard Solomon