Mom-daughter duos (left to right): Judy Poon (91) and Helen Louie, Gail Tom and Ruby Tom (98), Laura Chan and Lena Fong (91), Junko Egi and Teruko Ono (99)
For many years, ACC has hosted a very active Mahjong Club. But when COVID hit, this club–like so many others–had to stop meeting to ensure everyone’s continued good health. But the ACC Mahjong Club is now back and meeting outdoors!
Mahjong has a long history. It began in China in the 19th century. In the early 20th century, it began spreading across the world. I was told that the game was originally invented by Chinese sailors who played the game on their boats while they were out at sea. The game is has a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols and is usually played in groups of four people. It is described as “a game of skill, strategy, and luck.” Watching the club members at ACC play, you can also see that it is a game that really exercises those brain cells.
At a couple of the club’s card tables, you can often find four ladies in their 90s playing along with their daughters. Watching them play you can see their skill, strategy, and luck at work and their pleasure in being there. Junko Egi shared that her mother, Teruko Ono, age 99, really enjoys club days because she has met new people which has expanded her social network and she now has folks who know the game and she can play with. Teruko only speaks Japanese, but she can play with Chinese and English-speaking club members without any problem and she loves getting out and being with other people.
Gail Tom also noted that her mother, Ruby Tom, also looks forward to coming to the club gatherings twice a week because at her mother’s age, 98, there just aren’t many folks her age to interact with anymore. Ruby also enjoys meeting new people at the club that she would not have otherwise ever met. Gail shared that her mother’s nickname is “the dictator” when it comes to playing Mahjong because “whatever she says goes even if it’s against the rules” and Ruby usually wins!
Judy Poon, 91, makes her move. “She knows this game inside out,” says her daughter, Helen Louie.
Judy Poon, age 91, is another long-time player. Helen Louie describes her mother as a cautious player but very good at her strategy. She too really looks forward to this social time and the brain stimulation involved in playing. “She is up and ready to go on Mondays and Fridays—the Mahjong days,” Helen shared.
“The Mahjong Club is one of the groups that provides an important opportunity for the large number of seniors to meet with others who also speak their language and share their cultural traditions and be able to connect,” said Dani Lee, the ACC Lifelong Learning and Wellness Program Manager. “It’s just wonderful to be able to host them back onsite again!”
The Mahjong Club meets on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9-11 am on the patio at the ACC Program Center. New members are welcomed, and prior experience is not required. There’s a beginner’s table where new players are coached in learning how to play the game.
So much fun and reconnecti!on with neighbors and friends