Watercolor class - August 21st, 1-3pm

$20 Class fee plus $2 activity fee

Register with Tracy

Wreath Making class - Monday, Sept 16th, 2-4pm

$20 Class fee plus $2 activity fee

Register with Tracy

Card making class -  Monday, Sept 30th, 11-1pm

$20 Class fee plus $2 activity fee

Register with Tracy

Anxiety to Calm - Tuesdays, Sept 10, 17, 24 & Oct 1st 2-4pm

Stay tuned for registration information

Rosebud Theatre - Christmas on Air  - Friday, Nov 22nd

Register with Tracy, Tickets are $110

 Please join us for our August 12th Dinner

Hansel & Gretel’s Catering

Feature of the Month

Lasagna

Caesar Salad

Garlic Bread

Desserts

 
Tickets are $15 each - members only

Doors open at 5 pm

Dinner at 6 pm

Bar Service and 50/50

Pay by cash, cheque, e-transfer - or new option debit/credit

See Tracy for tickets

Please refrain from scented products (perfume, cologne, lotions, laundry, etc.) at all events at the club. 

Links to iPhone Basics

iPhone information check the Catalog tab at Senior Tech Club. 

124 Texting

203 Safari Basics

450 iPhone Photo Basics 

 204 iPhone iPad Email

Android Phones and Tablets

Check out this book.

Setting up Email - Check out page 189 in the book link to use Gmail app

Blocking Caller on Android

Ongoing opportunity to volunteer utilizing your sewing skills.

Mission Thrift store supports the Samaritans Purse by adding teddy bears to the shoe box campaign every year but they also support many other causes with these cute little bears around the world all year long.

Be a part of the bigger picture of the teddy bear factory in sewing this simple bears out of the recycled fabric.

If you are interested please contact Bonita at 403-563-8670 call or text if interested.

A picture of the bear is below.

Drop off/pick up of teddy bear pattern will be at the senior club, Tuesday to Friday when club is open. (10am - 4 pm)

Thank you!!!

Bonita

Gift Bags for Seniors Outreach Program

Christmas 2024

Updated January 23, 2024

As mentioned in our December 13th issue of the Newsletter we had a great turnout for filling the bags on November 27th! A huge thank you to everyone who helped, from making items (the knitting group and those who sew) to donations received, we were able to fill 142 bags to give to seniors who live alone or are isolated.

Last year the knitting group made gnome ornaments; in 2024 their Christmas ornament project is small crocheted stockings for the tree. These are in addition to the lapghans, shawls, jar lid openers, and other projects as they come up.  Last year those who sew made the gift bags, bowl cozies and walker totes; in 2024 we will not only continue with these but also add single Kleenex pack covers for starters and add as we go.

For donations last year we received an abundance of a few items so the list of the items we will be collecting for 2024 is a bit shorter, as you see below:

Puzzle books and activity books – large print is good if available
Pencil sharpeners
Playing cards
Jigsaw puzzles – ones with larger piece sizes, not over 300 pieces
Toothbrushes
Bars of soap – i.e. Ivory, Neutrogena – scent free
Lip balm
Emory boards for nails
Squish balls (otherwise called stress balls)
Boxes of pencil crayons

 A BIG thank you to everyone who helped us have a successful Outreach Program this year. 

Level 1

This level is for those who have very little to no line dancing experience, or those wanting to move at a slower pace with simple dances. This class will be reviewing dances previously taught as well as learning new material.

Level 2

This level is for those who have had previous line dance instruction and who know basic footwork.  This class will be reviewing dances previously taught as well as learning new material. This class is for those wanting more of a challenge. Dances at this level will include tags and restarts. 

Level 3

This level is for experienced dancers who have mastered basic dance steps.  Dances may include syncopation, full turns, tags, restarts, and be faster and/or longer.  There will also be opportunity for class members to teach their favourite dances.

Step Sheets and Demo/Teach Videos for our Line Dances

	Class	Song	Artist	Demo / Teach Video
3 Tequila Floor EZ		3 Tequila Floor	Josiah Siska	Teach & Demo
AA		AA	Walker Hayes	Demo & Teach
AB Dancin' in the Country	Level 1	Dancin' in the Country	Tyler Hubbard	Demo & Teach
A Kind of Hush	Level 1	There's a Kind of Hush	Carpenters	Demo & Teach
A Little Love Worth Waiting 4		A Little Love Worth Waiting	Bouke	Various on Step Sheet Link
A Little Shiver	Level 1	Shiver	Ed Sheeran	Various on Step Sheet Link
Amame un Poquito		Amame	Belle Perez	Demo
American Kids	Level 3	American Kids	Kenny Chesney	Demo & Teach
Anything Goes	Level 1	Why Don't We Just Dance	Josh Turner	Teach & Demo
Beautiful Day		A Beautiful Day	Dave Sheriff	Teach & Demo
Beginner Stroll	Level 1	San Antonio Stroll	Tanya Tucker	Teach (in German)
Black Coffee		Black Coffee	Lacy J Dalton	N/A
Boot Scootin Boogie		Boot Scootin Boogie	Brooks & Dunn	Teach & Demo
Broken Stones	Level 1	Broken Stones	Paul Weller	Demo & Teach
Bullfrog	Level 1	Got a Feeling	Tim Hicks	Teach
Can You 2 Step		Pick me up on Your Way Down	Martina McBride	Demo & Teach
Ceecee		Oh Cecilia (Breaking My Heart)	The Vamps	Various on Step Sheet Link
Champagne Promise	Level 3	Champagne Promise	David Nail	Demo & Teach
Charleston Cowboy	Level 1	Sold Get Rhythm	John Michael Montgomery Sweethearts of the Rodeo	Teach
Codigo	Level 3	Codigo	George Strait	Demo & Teach
Cold Heart	Level 3	Cold Heart	Elton John and Dua Lipa	Demo & Teach
Come Dance with Me		Come Dance with Me	Nancy Hays	Teach
Confusion		Stuck On You	Elvis	N/A
Cowboy Boogie**	Level 1	Ladies Love Country Boys	Trace Adkins	Teach
Cowboy Sweetness		Cowboys are my Weakness	Trisha Yearwood	Demo and Teach
Crash and Burn**	Level 1	Crash and Burn	Thomas Rhett	Teach
Cut A Rug	Level 1	Sugar, Sugar	The Archies	Teach & Demo
Dancing Yet?	Level 1	Ain't Back Yet	Kenny Chesney	Demos only on Step Sheet
Darlin	Level 1	Darlin	Johnny Reid	N/A
Don't Step on My Soul	Level 1	40 Days and 40 Nights	Tim McGraw	N/A
Down to the Honky Tonk	Level 3	Down to the Honky Tonk	Jake Owen	Demo & Teach
Electric Slide	Level 1	The Wanderer	Dion	Demo & Teach
Eye Candy		Runaround Sue	Dion	Various on Step Sheet Link
Fandango	Level 1	If That's the Way You Want It	Brooks & Dunn	N/A
Fun for All	Level 1	I Slipped and Fell in Love	Alan Jackson	Teach & Demo
Gin and Tonic		Love Drunk	Locash Cowboys	Demo & Teach
Give Me Your Tempo	Level 3	Tempo	Matteo Bocelli	Demo Teach
Gives Me Shivers	Level 3	Shivers	Ed Sheeran	Various on Step Sheet Link
Ghost Train		Zorba's Dance	The Sirtaki Orchestra	Various on Step Sheet Link
Gone Country Again	Level 1	Gone Country	Alan Jackson	Demo
Good Time		Good Time	Alan Jackson	Teach & Demo
Gypsy Queen	Level 3	Gypsy Queen	Chris Norman	Demo & Teach
Heaven's Jukebox		Heaven's Jukebox	Jaden Hamilton	Demo & Teach
I'm Alive	Level 3			Various on Step Sheet Link
I Close My Eyes	Level 2	Ich Mach Meine Augen Zu	Chris Norman & Nino de Angelo	Demo & Teach
I Cry		I Cry	Bouke	Teach & Demo
I Love A Rainy Night		I Love A Rainy Night	Eddie Rabbitt	Teach
Just Want to Cha		I Just Wanna Dance With You	George Strait	Demo on Step sheet is out of sync
Let's Chill**	Level 1	Ice Cream Freeze	Mylie Cyrus	Demo & Teach
Little Dean Waltz		Famous Last Words of a Fool	George Strait	Teach
Little Heartbreak	Level 3	Same Heartbreak Different Day	Richard Marx	Demo & Teach
Little Red Book	Level 1	He Drinks Tequila	Sam Kershaw	Demo & Teach
Little Rhumba	Level 1	Like She's Not Yours	The Bellamy Brothers	Teach
Lonely Drum		Lonely Drum	Aaron Goodvin	Demo & Teach
Lucky Lips		Lucky Lips	The Conquerors	Demo & Teach
Lullaby Waltz		Drift Off to Dream	Travis Tritt	Demo & Teach
Mamma Maria	Level 1	Mamma Maria	Ricchi E Poveri	Teach & Demo
Miley's Flowers	Level 3	Flowers	Miley Cyrus	Demo & Teach
My Gypsy Queen		Gypsy Queen	Chris Norman	N/A
New York, New York	Level 1	Theme from New York, New York	Roger Williams	N/A
Old Time Rock and Roll		Old Time Rock and Roll	Bob Seger	N/A
One Night at a Time**	Level 1	One Night at a Time	George Strait	Teach & Demo
Peaches & Cream		You're Sixteen	Ringo Starr	Various on Step Sheet Link
Pontoon	Level 3	Pontoon	Little Big Town	Demo & Teach
Rita's Waltz	Level 1	Rock and Roll Waltz	Kay Starr	Teach & Demo
Rocket to the Sun		What You've Done to Me	Samantha Jade	Various on Website
Rockin the Wagon Wheel	Level 1	Wagon Wheel	Darius Rucker	Teach
Rose Garden	Level 3	Bring Down the House	Dean Brody	Teach
Señorita La-la-la	Level 3	Señorita	Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello	Demo & Teach
Shy Waltz**		The Last Waltz	Englebert Humperdink	Demo and Teach
Something in the Water		Something in the Water	Brooke Fraser	Demo & Teach
Stealing the Best		Dance Above the Rainbow	Ronan Hardiman	Teach
Stroll Along Cha Cha	Level 1	I Just Wanna Dance With You	George Strait	Demo and Teach
Summer Nights	Level 3	Wasted Time	Keith Urban	Demo
Susie Q	Level 1	Ready to Roll	Blake Shelton	N/A
TC Slide		Bubba Hyde	Diamond Rio	N/A
Texas Stomp**		I'm From the Country	Tracy Bird	Demo
Thank You		Thank You	Gary Perkins and The Breeze	Demo & Teach
That Honky Tonk Highway	Level 1	Honky Tonk Highway	Luke Combs	Demo & Teach
The Last Cheater's Waltz	Level 1	The Last Cheater's Waltz	TG Sheppard	Teach & Demo
Triple Mix		From a Jack to a King	Johnny Hansen	Demo & Teach
Tush Push	Level 3	Achy Breaky Heart	Billy Ray Cyrus	Demo
Two Steps Forward		Two Steps Forward	The Castaways	N/A
Until the Dawn		Marvin Gaye	Charlie Puth	Demo & Teach
Whiskey Bridges		Whiskey under the Bridge	Brooks and Dunn	Demo & Teach
Wonderland Waltz	Level 3	Welcome to Mystery	Plain White T's	Demo
Zatchu		Blue Finger Lou Zat You Santa Claus	Anne Murray Bruce Poindexter	Demo & Teach
** Dance has been modified

Line Dance - Dance Steps

Line Dance Teaching Links

Line Dancing with Patti - Basic Steps (12 mins)

LD w Patti - Jazz Box, Kick Ball Change, Rocking Chair, Kick and Point
Line Dancing with Patti - Turns
Dance with Cathie - Scissor Step
LD Steps with Gail Eaton (1 hr)

Check comments under video for time link for each step taught

0:3:44 Grapevines

0:5:40 Side Together Side Touch/Brush

Euchre is a fun, fast-paced, trick-taking card game.

The goal is to be the first team to get 10 points.

Summary of Our Euchre Rules for 4 Players

• One player deals out one card at a time face up to each player until the first Jack appears.  This player deals first.

• The game uses a partial deck of 24 cards.  From the 9 to the Ace.

• 5 Cards are dealt one at a time to each player.

• The remaining 4 cards are the kitty, and the dealer turns over the top card to be possibly called as trump.

• The team that declares trump must win three of the five tricks to score a point.

• If your partner is the dealer and you tell him to pick it up, you must play alone.

• The dealer cannot pick up a jack if they have no cards in that suit.

• If all players pass in round 2, the dealer must choose a trump (this is called Screwing the Dealer).

• If your hand has no face card and no ace, toss in your hand and the next player deals.
• A winning trick must be turned over and can only be viewed if there is a renege alleged.
  

• Scoring is done with two 5’s. Each suit symbol represents 1 point.

• The Player to the left of the dealer starts by leading a card for the first trick.

• The first team to get 10 points wins the game.

• Winners from each game move to the next table and take a new partner.

We occasionally play Euchre with 3 players. Here are the Rules for 3 Players.

• One player deals out one card at a time face up to each player until the first Jack appears.  This player deals first.
• The game uses a partial deck of 24 cards.  From the 9 to the Ace.
• 5 Cards are dealt one at a time to each player and the empty seat (optional hand).
• The remaining 4 cards are the kitty, and the dealer turns over the top card to be possibly called as trump.
• Each player is playing on their own.
• The player that declares trump must win three of the five tricks to score a point. The other two players play together to euchre the maker.
• The dealer cannot pick up a jack if they have no cards in that suit.
• If all players pass in round 1, the dealer may exchange their hand with the optional hand before declaring the possible trump or passing.
• If all players pass in round 2, the dealer must choose a trump (this is called Screwing the Dealer).
• If your hand has no face card and no ace, toss in your hand and the next player deals.
• A winning trick must be turned over and can only be viewed if there is a renege alleged.
  
• Scoring is done with two 5’s. Each suit symbol represents 1 point.
• The Player to the left of the dealer starts by leading a card for the first trick.
• The first player to get 10 points wins the game.
• The two players with the highest points for the game move to the next table.

Scoring for 3 Player Euchre

Calling player makes 3 or 4 tricks                                                 1 point

Calling player makes 5 tricks                                                        4 points

Opponents make 3 tricks (Euchred, Each Opponent)                   2 points

It is not necessary for a player to declare that they will play alone.

But it is a nice gesture and lets the opponents know you have a good hand.

Euchre: How to Play with 4 Players

The Deal

• Players divide into two teams and sit across from each other.

• Determining the first dealer: One player deals out one card at a time face up to each player until the first Jack appears.  This player deals first.

• The game uses a partial deck of 24 cards.  From the 9 to the Ace.

• 5 Cards are dealt one at a time to each player.

• The remaining 4 cards are the kitty, and the dealer turns over the top card to be possibly called as trump.

• The team that declares trump must win three of the five tricks to score a point.

Bidding Round 1

• The player to the left of the dealer starts first by deciding if they want the suit as trump.  If they don’t, they say ‘Pass’. If they think they can make 3 tricks with their partner, they tell the dealer to ‘Pick it up’.

• If the suit is declared trump by any player (not your partner) during the first round of bidding, the dealer must pick up the card and discard one face down (the dealer gets the card no matter which player orders it up).

• If your partner is the dealer and you tell him to pick it up, you must play alone.

• If all players pass, the dealer may pick up the card to declare trump.  The dealer then discards one card.

• The dealer can also pass the trump by turning over the card.

• The dealer cannot pick up a jack if they have no cards in that suit.

 Mah Jongg Summary

Objective of the Game

Mah Jongg is a game where you group 14 tiles into sets of singles, pairs, 3, 4, or 5 of a kind based on a set list of hands (on the NMJL card) for a Mah Jongg.

Equipment

Tiles, Racks with Pusher, Dice and Mah Jong Card.

Mah Jongg Card

A Mah Jongg card is required to play the game.  The card is available for purchase from the National Mah Jongg League website. 

A new card comes out annually for April 1.

At Our Club

We play American Mah Jongg.  If you would like to know more about the game drop by on a Thursday prior to game time.

Mah Jongg Links

National Mah Jongg League

Ordering a Mah Jongg Card at NMJL                                               

Michele Frizzell YouTube Channel  Watch Michele play and discuss her strategy or watch one of many videos about how to play.     

Mah Jongg Lessons with Michele Frizzell

Mock Card for Michele Frizzell Lessons

Mah Jongg Manual in PDF Format

Computer Games - A National Mah Jongg Card is required to play.

2 Week Trial

Real Mah Jongg                                             

I Love Mah                                                       

Free Game

Mah Jongg Lite  Select American Mah Jongg, then School Game or Fun Game (has time limits)

Mah Jongg Tiles

There are 3 suits with tiles numbered 1-9. Dots, Bamboos (Bams) and Characters (Cracks)

There are 4 Winds (North, South East and West) and 3 Dragons (White, Green and Red)

There are 8 Flowers and 8 Jokers

Sample Hand 222 444 6666 8888 (any 2 suits)

Pungs of 2's and 4's in Bams and Kongs of 6's and 8's in Dots

Each numbered suit has an associated colour and the matching Dragon.

Dots - White

Bamboos - Green

Characters - Red

If a hand is in 1 colour and has dragons. the dragons used must be the same colour as the suit.

EG - 3333 6666 9999 DD (Any 1 suit)

Game Process

Phase 1 - Set Up

• Tiles are turned upside down and mixed.

• Each player makes a wall with 2 rows of 19 tiles in front of their rack.

• Player in position East starts by rolling dice to cut their wall, the dice indicates stacks of tiles left behind.  The remaining tiles are pushed right side to the centre and the last 2 tiles are turned to make a tail.

• Each player starting with East takes 4 tiles until everyone has 12 tiles (counter clock wise).

• A new wall is moved to the centre when the previous wall has no more tiles (clock wise).

• Each player then takes 1 more tile.  East also takes their first pick and takes tiles 1 and 3 from the top row.

• East has 14 tiles all other players have 13 tiles.

• Players sort their tiles looking for a category to play and move tiles they don’t want to the right. 

Phase 2 - The Charleston

• Unwanted tiles are now passed to other players to try and improve hands.  This is the Charleston.

• The Charleston has 2 rounds, where each player passes tiles to the other players. This is followed by an optional Curtesy Pass to the player across from you.

• Round 1 is mandatory – 3 tiles are passed Right, Across and then Left. (RALph)

• Round 2 is optional (can be stopped on a player’s request) – 3 tiles are passed Left, Across and then Right. (LAuRen)

• Pass defensively - try not to pass flowers, pairs, like numbers, or 2 winds.
• Any time you get a new multiple, you need to re-assess your hand.
• The last pass in each round can be a Blind Pass. You can take 1-3 of the tiles you would receive and pass them on.

• 0-3 tiles can be passed in the Curtesy Pass, players need to agree on number of tiles.

• Jokers cannot be passed.

Phase 3 - The Play, Pick and Discard

• Play starts with East discarding a tile.

• The tile is named when discarded EG. 5 Crack, West, Red.

• A discarded tile can be called by anyone if they can make a Pung, Kong or Quint for an exposed hand.

• The called tile must be displayed with the required tiles to make a Pung, Kong or Quint.

• North is next (counter clock wise) who can call the tile or pick a new tile.

• North picks a tile and taps it on the rack or puts the tile on their rack to decide if the tile is needed for their hand.

• Once a tile is tapped/racked, the discarded tile can no longer be claimed.
• If you are unsure if you want the tile, ask for a moment to think.

• If the tile is kept, it will be placed on the rack (racked).

• North must then discard tile. They can discard the tile picked or another tile.

• Play continues in this manner with players trying to build their hands.

• It is best to continue to collect tiles for a category, slowly narrowing down the hand you are trying to make.

• If you started with 2 option for hands and now need to decide which to continue with, it's best to count the tiles in each hand and pick the hand with the most tiles.  You should also check the gaps in you hand, Are you still waiting for a pair or single tile?

• A new wall is moved to the centre when the previous wall has no more tiles (clock wise order)
• The last wall to come out is the short wall in front of East.

• If one of your tiles is discarded before you are ready for it and you can no longer make you hand, you then play defensively. You try not to discard a tile an opponent may need.

• If all tiles have been picked and no one has declared Mah Jongg you have a Wall game.

Mah Jongg

Jokers and Exchanging for a Joker

• A joker may be used as a wildcard for a Pung, Kong or Quint.
• A Pung, Kong or Quint may be made entirely of jokers
• If someone has called a tile and exposed a Pung, Kong or Quint with a joker, the joker can be exchanged for the tile the joker represents
• Pick your tile or call for a discard first, before exchanging for a joker.
• A discarded joker cannot be called