The honors of the George Retek trophy go to Rollande Makarewicz. This award is awarded annually by District 1* to a person who has made a great contribution as a volunteer to District 1 and its units.

Rollande’s involvement as a volunteer began in Saguenay. After returning from a national tournament held in Montreal in 1985, Rollande writes a note, summarizing the event, and places a copy on the tables of the club she attends. “Cartes sur Table”, a French-language magazine entirely in Quebec, of which Rollande will take care for ten years, was born.

Her children moved to Montreal for their studies and did not return to Saguenay, so Rollande decides to get closer to them and moves to Montreal. The Can-Am Daily Bulletin, so well written by Eric Kokish, is only in English. When Éric leaves Montreal, she and Martine Lacroix take charge of The Bulletin, that then becomes bilingual. The arrival of computers will put an end to it ten years later, during which time she assumes the presidency of the Montreal Bridge League.

Rollande is also involved with novice players. For fifteen years she oversees practices and demonstrates patience and commitment to the next generation.

Rollande has always said that bridge has a therapeutic function, “I talked to doctors, lawyers, a judge. They are unanimous, the bridge allows us to put all the other worries aside. For three and a half hours, all that exists are the auctions, the defense and the cards.»

Bravo Rollande and thank you for having so generously shared your passion.

* District 1 is made up of the following units: Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Saguenay and the Maritimes.