“It’s the most fun you’ll have for 50 cents!”
That’s the motto for the weekly Euchre Club in Newark, Ohio.
On Tuesdays from 12:30 to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., the sound of shuffled cards and lively chatter fills Heritage Hall.
Organized by Licking County Aging Partners, the Euchre Club has become a popular gathering spot for locals looking to enjoy a few rounds of the classic card game. For just $1 to play, participants can engage in friendly competition while building connections with fellow players.
The club began in 2015, when Faye Landis and a friend decided to start a regular Euchre game for people in the community.
“I started with the Heath seniors at the old buffet and when they closed down, someone said, you should come down to the senior center,” said Landis.
What started as a small group quickly grew, with numbers getting to around 40 players on Friday nights.
“We’d bring food for snacks since we started at six and it got to the point where people were bringing stuff almost like a potluck,” she said. “We had an absolute blast.”
With the goal of LCAP being “to improve the quality of life for Licking County seniors by contributing to their independence and healthy lifestyles,” card games are just one way to do so.
A recent survey from AARP says 66% percent of respondents felt that playing games helps with mental health and wellbeing. “Regular game play also helps mitigate feelings of loneliness and isolation; three in five adults (58%) report that playing games helps them feel socially connected to others,” according to the AARP study.
“Cards, especially I think, are good for camaraderie. You know, you get to know people,” said Landis.
Whether players have attended for years or are new to the game, the club offers a welcoming space where people can build relationships while enjoying a shared activity.
Euchre is a trick-taking card game for four players, split into two teams. Players are dealt five cards, and the goal is to win tricks by playing the highest card in each round. The trump suit beats all others, and players aim to win at least three out of five tricks.
Each round, players choose whether to make the trump suit, and the team that declares trump tries to win the majority of the tricks. If they fail, the opposing team scores. The game continues until one team reaches a set number of points, usually 10.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the club had to adjust its schedule. What started out as their Friday night out turned into Thursday afternoon activity. While members enjoy the new time slot, some are still holding out for their Friday nights back.
“We were having fun, a lot of camaraderie and that kind of thing. So, it worked out really nicely. I’m still trying to get us back on Friday nights,” said Landis.
With members of the club coming every Tuesday and Thursday, the future of the Euchre Club looks bright.
“We’ve got to keep it going,” said Landis. “It’s almost like a family.”
For more information on the Euchre Club, call (740) 345-0821 or visit lcap.org.
Jordan Meeks writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.