A message from Helen Flores, WGPO BPR:
Dear Everybody who “Just wants to play Scrabble®”:
So far, 2020 is definitely NOT our favorite year. WGPO members surely need no help recounting the social, medical and natural disasters we are still experiencing. We hope you and yours are all well and safe. Now, let’s focus on Scrabble® and WGPO.
WGPO needs the following from the membership so that we can continue playing:
1. Candidates to run for office. If not you, who? This year we have openings on the Executive Committee (EC) and the Board of Player Representatives (BPR). These groups are charged to make sure that WGPO works for all players. Contact the Nominations and Elections Committee, elections@wordgameplayers.org, with your nominations and suggestions.
2. Involvement in the organization in large and small ways. We can always use help promoting membership, publicizing the organization, volunteering to work on a committee or a project. Members run WGPO.
3. Your vote in December for officers and for the official WGPO North American lexicon choice.
Scrabble® clubs suspended live tournaments when we discovered the dangers of sharing our plastic tiles and sticking our hands into each others’ bags. Thanks to technology, we still play and meet for online games, hold unrated virtual tournaments, and see our friends in ZOOM gatherings. WGPO Club leaders and Directors continue to provide opportunities for competitive play. These people are the backbone of the organization, promoting local interest in Scrabble®, attracting players and sponsoring events. We are grateful for these virtual events and look forward to live tournaments in the future.
Finally, the WGPO community also took action to weather the North American Scrabble® lexicon controversy democratically. WGPO remains a strong organization because it is run by the players and for the players. In December, the full membership will vote to determine WGPO’s official lexicon for club and tournament play.
We all “just want to play Scrabble.” Let’s get through 2020, and with your help, the WGPO Scrabble community will be stronger in 2021!