The Bermuda Bridge Club plans to play a helping hand for victims of the recent Tsunami disaster through a series of open games next week.

All bridge players, including non-members, are invited to come and play bridge at the club?s facility on Pomander Gate Road next Monday, 17, and Friday, 21 January. If there is enough interest, charity games may also be played on January 18 and 20. Fees from the games will go to various Tsunami relief programmes.

?In the committee meeting last week it was suggested by our tournament director, Roman Smolski, that we do this,? said Joe Wakefield, Bermuda Bridge Club president.

?He suggested it as a possible way for getting help for the Tsunami Relief fund.

?We want to invite the people who play bridge at home to be temporary members for whatever nights they want to come down. Lots of people play bridge in Bermuda, and we just want to invite them into our club. It would be fun if they became permanent members, but that is not really the purpose. We currently have around 200 members, but we are always looking for fresh faces.?

The charity tournaments are part of a greater world-wide bridge playing campaign to raise money for the disaster.

It will be $8 for members to play and $10 for visitors, but people can make a larger donation. The Bridge Club will try to match whatever they make through their charity nights. On Wednesday it was revealed that Bermudians have already donated more than $600,000 to the relief effort and the Bermuda Bridge Club hopes to raise close to $10,000 for the Red Cross Asia Earthquake Appeal and also the Tsunami Relief Fund.

?We are going to have raffles,? said Mr. Wakefield. ?We are trying to drum up as many raffle prizes as possible, so we will have an in-house raffle. Hopefully the final funds will be in the teens.?

Mr. Wakefield said the club does have a charitable arm, but they have never raised money in quite this way before.

?I don?t know of any members who have been personally touched by the disaster, but lots of people have visited the affected areas,? said Mr. Wakefield. ?I have been there myself.?

To donate a raffle prize contact Cliff Alison at 292-1224 or 504-3333 . For more information about participating in the charity tournaments telephone Roman Smolski at 236-5319.