Join Hospital Bridge Club to Support Volunteer Association
Published Monday, September 14, 2026
From (L-R) Bridge Club members Joanne Tulloch, Jane Chapman, Leslie Savitsky, and Rosemarie Hakansson, inviting new members to join this fall season.
Around kitchen tables and card tables across Thunder Bay, the Marathon Bridge Club has been dealing hands and making a difference for nearly 50 years.
The club began as a fun social marathon and fundraiser for the Ladies Auxiliary to Port Arthur General Hospital. Over time, it evolved into a cherished tradition supporting the Volunteer Association of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Since 1995 alone, members have raised more than $40,000 in support of patient care. Their contributions have purchased a pharmacy-grade refrigerator for the Renal and Critical Support Department, provided donations to the patients' clothing cupboard, and funded equipment through the Family CARE Grant program which funds staff-led ideas to enhance comfort and care for patients and families.
Each season, teams commit to playing 20 hands once a month, rotating opponents and hosting duties in one another's homes. Matches are scheduled at the convenience of players, whether mornings, afternoons, or evenings. Each month, each hostess submits the scores to one of the convenors after a game has been played. The scores are tallied for the entire season, and prizes are awarded at the wind-up bridge and luncheon in May.
“We've been playing together for decades, and some of our members have been with us for more than 20 years,” says convenor Jane Chapman, who has led the club since 1996. Member Joanne Tulloch became a co-convenor in 2008. “It's about more than the game—it's about friendship, laughter, and knowing our efforts support patients and families in our community.”
Registration Now Open
The club is welcoming new members for its upcoming season, which runs from October through April. Registration is $40 per person, with a charitable donation receipt provided. Players must sign up as a team of two. While the club has traditionally been made up of women, men are also encouraged to join.
The season concludes with a year-end luncheon and bridge in May, when prizes are awarded and members gather to celebrate the season's play.
The registration deadline is Saturday, September 26th
To register or learn more, contact: Jane Chapman at 807-344-2901 or Joanne Tulloch at 807-767-3862.