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The Wayne Rotary Club fell short of their goal on Saturday, but still put on its largest fundraiser, said Bob Gilbert, president of the club.
The Rotarians hoped to break the world record for the largest card tournament by concentrating on the popularity of the game of euchre in the Midwest and Canada. He said he hoped to draw 2,000 people to Burton Manor in Livonia.
“We didn’t get that many people,” said Gilbert, who regularly organizes euchre tournaments at St. Mary in Wayne. He said there were 588 people who played the popular game at the tournament.
“For not breaking the record, we did pretty good,” he said.
The event was essentially a year in the making, according to Gilbert. Representatives from the Guinness Book of World Records were on hand for the bid. The Rotary needed 1,028 people to break the world record for largest card tournament.
People attended from as far away as Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Chicago to mingle with local players from throughout southeastern Michigan.
People attended from as far away as Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Chicago to mingle with local players from throughout southeastern Michigan.
“We had a good time; it was a lot of fun,” said Wayne resident Lynn Boertje. “I’m surprised I didn’t see more people from Wayne.”
Gilbert said he was impressed with the number of people who traveled from out of state.
“People drove here, they spent the night at motels, they went out,” he said. “It was pretty amazing.”
He said the final tally hadn’t come in yet, but he estimated that the group generated about $10,000 in donations. The funds will go right back into the community through the many service projects the 88-year-old Wayne chapter puts on every year.
“We’re still working on the final numbers,” said Gilbert. “We think it was pretty successful.”
The top payout was $1,025. Those who finished in the bottom five were given euchre strategy books signed by author Joe Andrews, who was at the event, as well.
The event featured 50/50 raffles and donated baskets up for raffle, too, from many corporate sponsors.
Gilbert said there were a few glitches-the 15 laptops they had set up to register players didn’t always get along too well-but by and large the feedback was positive, even from those players who didn’t place.
“It was a lot of people coming together in support of a good cause,” said Gilbert. “It brought everyday people together. They were just giving back in a way that’s fun.”
He said the event would have qualified for the largest euchre tournament, but Guinness only keeps track of general card tournaments, not those that feature a specific game.
Does the positive response mean another attempt at the world record next year? Gilbert said he’s open to it, even though he worked that day from 5:30 a.m. to about 10:30 p.m.
“I think I’m going to take a little break before I think about doing it again,” he said.
