Tuesday blackjack set up (1 Viewer)

[dennis63]

I've been setting up blackjack and dealing to a group at a senior living community. (It's a volunteer thing.) We did one table the first week and got six players. Three weeks later and we're at two tables, two dealers and 10 regular players. My niece loves blackjack and senior citizens, and has been coming over to deal.

I got a couple of light-weight tables from WBC. I'm thinking we'll need another table and another dealer by next month. Anyone here in the Philadelphia / Ridley Park / Springfield / "Blue Route" area of Pennylvania interested in dealing for a couple of hours on Tuesday afternoons, let me know.

Photos:

We set up two identical $5 tables, and play for points only. (No cash, although some of the players would like to play for money.) I keep a bag of door prizes at each table, and put some jokers into the working deck after the first shoe is dealt. If I deal a joker to a player, they win their choice of prize from the bag. It keeps the players involved and watching their cards. A little music on a Bluetooth speaker, some snacks. They love it.

 

[navels]

how nice!

 

[Taghkanic]

Great community service!

 

[ledge4131]

Nicely done Sir!

 

[Davism72]

Right on.

 

[Boother36]

I hope someone does something like this for me when I get old enough to be in a home!!!

Tip of the hat to you dennis63!!

 

[allforcharity]

I like it!

 

[Highli99]

That's really cool!

 

[dennis63]

Some really funny stories have come out of this.

The first day, about six weeks ago, a woman in her 90s sat down, pulled out her purse, and whipped out about $200 in $20s. Apparently, she thought we were playing for real money, and she was ready. (We don't. It would be absolutely illegal in Pennsylvania.)

At our next session, there was one woman who really knew how to play. When she realized the woman next to her did not know how to play, she began giving her instructions with each hand. But the novice kept forgetting and messing up.

"I wish I paid attention when my husband was trying to teach me this game years ago," she said.

The woman next to her muttered, "I wish you'd pay attention now!"

Last week, my niece was at the next table dealing to a woman who was 98 years old. The woman lost almost all of her stack, and had one chip left.

My niece pointed to the last chip and said, "You're still alive!"

We're starting a list of things not to say to people over 90.

(We give the players a new stack of 20 x $5 if they bust, since we're playing for fun.)

I do this because my dad, who is 91, lives at the assisted living and enjoys playing cards of all kinds. It also allows me to practice dealing, and to get out and use some of the nice equipment we keep on hand. The seniors enjoy it, too, so it's a "win / win."

 

[sergiophil]

That is a great deed, and great for the people in the assisted living.

Great work sir!