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It’s off to Doll’s we go!

PHOTOS BY SHERRY MCRAE

What started as a small card game between friends has blossomed into a weekly gathering of food, games and fellowship.

A By Maureen Griffin The founding members run the group up. The women work together to clean up
lthough they need no reminder, the with precision. Dolly provides the meeting before they leave.
17 women who play Liverpool Rum- place; Phyllis is in charge of communica-
my at Dolly Nuse’s Neighborhood 3 tions. Members have name tags paired Each Thursday, beginning at five o’clock,
home every Thursday night look forward with their score sheets when they arrive. the women start arriving at Dolly’s. Some
to receiving clever weekly emails from When a potluck system got out of control, bring additional treats, all are smiling. As
Phyllis Buck. To many of them, Thursday with too much food being wasted, the they come in, they greet one another, hug,
night is the best night of the week. women came up with a different plan. inspect the food on the countertops and
Each week the women leave money in a catch up on what’s happened in everyone’s
Dolly Nuse, Phyllis Buck, Betty Hamel “tip jar” on the counter. This money is used life before they start playing promptly at 6
and Carolyn Neuwirth have been part of by a member to buy snacks for the follow- p.m. It’s clear these are women who genu-
a Friday morning Neighborhood 3 walking ing week. The women are assigned to one inely care for one another. Some don’t keep
group for several years. When Dolly and of six “teams.” Each team is assigned a score. The evening really isn’t about cards.
Betty lost their husbands in 2014, Phyl- week when they are responsible for set-
lis, also a widow, and Carolyn, previously This is a diverse group. They hail from
divorced, talked about how lonely evenings all over the United States and represent
were without partners. The four women
decided to hold a weekly card night and Dolly Nuse, far right, enjoys a moment with friends.
Dolly, ever the social planner, agreed to
be the hostess. ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG

Several months later, Dolly met a widow
through a book discussion group at The
Worship Place. The woman tearfully
shared how lonely she was, especially in
the evening. Dolly asked if she played
cards and when the woman said she did,
the group grew to five. When they saw
her blossom and begin getting involved
in other activities, the women decided to
expand the group. Whenever they met a
woman who was lonely and willing to play
cards, she was invited to join them. Over
the two years since adding their initial
recruit, the group has grown to 17. Dolly
is open to adding new members. “We won’t
turn anyone away. If they’re lonely and
want to join us, we’ll make room. I can
seat 22 in my house.”

68 | SUNRAYS SEPTEMBER 2017