Paradise Center hosts first Mah Jongg Weekend fundraiser

Mother and daughter duo Cheryl Calvo and Angelina Boyce can never play their favorite table top game mahjong together because they live too far apart. 

That was, until Boyce saw a Facebook post about the Paradise Center’s Mah Jongg Weekend.

“I like the competitiveness, but I also like the aesthetic and the culture of the community,” Boyce said.

Mahjong has been an important communal part of the Paradise Center for a long time. Once a week members and non-members come together for games, hence the evolution of the fundraising event. 

“It came about because we were just looking at opportunities for fundraising coupled with a love of mahjong. And I always joke, I’ve done a lot of fundraising throughout my life, and I always say, ‘You got to put the fun in fundraising,'" said Renee Fannin, the event organizer. 

Fannin and the center's Executive Director Amy Steinhauser worked together on creating the fundraising event. Instead of charging, they welcomed donations from both attendees and local businesses.

The weekend event ran on Friday and Saturday, and included meals and refreshments catered by Lisa Fannin. Friday games began at 2 p.m., with a pop-up booth from Driftwood Home & Beach with mahjong sets, and playing went until the late evening. Saturday began at 9 a.m. with a private shopping opportunity at the Lord’s Warehouse, more games, and a finale of Boozy Bingo at Cedars East Clubhouse Pool.

Players came from the local area, or all the way from Tampa. Calvo and Boyce were a perfect example of this, with Boyce coming from Tampa and her mother coming from Bradenton. 

Both fell in love with the game's culture and welcoming nature, and play frequently. Both couldn’t help but beam when discussing the game. 

“When my daughters were young, we always played a lot of table top games. I never let them win. They had to earn their wins, and that’s how this works. That makes you a better player when you’re not handing things,” Calvo said. 

Each player was welcomed with “swag bags,” including mahjong-themed beaded bracelets and other goodies. Between each round players had a chance to win a raffle pull, with prizes provided from local business donations and players as well. 

The “winner-takes-all” prize for whoever won the most games was a limited edition print donated from a longtime player at the center. Sandi Love won it after triumphing in eight games total. 

Many people may believe that mahjong is a game that requires silence, yet the Paradise Center provided a chance of connection. Between the sounds of clicking tiles and the rustling from paper guides, there was laughter and chatter, not just about mahjong, but where participants were from, shops or other subjects. 

“It’s really important that we can provide points of connection for them (members and non-members of Paradise Center) that are easily accessible, where the kind of friendship factor is already built into the activity. So it’s a really welcoming space, starting with things like name tags, so you can approach anyone yesterday when they checked in," Steinhauser said. 

Players ranged in skill level, and weren’t hesitant to help out one-another. Many learned from each other's different game plays and strategies. Although mahjong is an individual game, it was so friendly players weren’t seen as opponents. 

In a way, they were all team members.

The event will return in February. Visit TheParadiseCenter.org for more information.