If you've ever wondered what it takes to keep the Euchre Club of Chicago running like a well oiled, er, Sharper Image "back massager," then now is the time for you to throw your hat in the ring to join the ECC Board of Directors. If you'd like to run for any of the seven board positions, including President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary or Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday Director, then have yourself nominated in the presence of any current boardmember.

Nominations will be accepted through the end of May, and the election of the 2007-2008 Board of Directors will take place during the first two weeks of June.

If you have any questions on what any of the board positions entail, please don't hesitate to chat with any of the existing board members.

Last week we published a letter from ECC member Jim Selegean looking for your support in his drive to raise money for AIDS Foundation of Chicago (see the link below). This week our own Dr. Gary Bucher is looking for your support for another very worthy cause.

AIDS Ride Chicago takes place on the weekend of June 2nd and 3rd. 100% of the proceeds go directly to two AIDS service organizations, BEHIV and Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN). Gary is the vice president of the board of directors for TPAN, and has aggressive goal of raising $5000 so all of your help is deeply needed and greatly appreciated.

Please make a donation -- any amount would be greatly appreciated. To donate to AIDS Ride Chicago, simply click here and securely donate online.

And please click here to donate to AIDS Foundation of Chicago in support of Jim Selegean's upcoming marathon.

Your weather for the week, provided by the meteorologists at WFLD-TV Fox Chicago.

TUESDAY - 76 / 56 Thunderstorms
WEDNESDAY - 73 / 54 Thunderstorms
THURSDAY - 77 / 55 Partly Cloudy
FRIDAY - 72 / 53 Partly Cloudy
SATURDAY - 70 / 50 Partly Cloudy
SUNDAY - 73 / 52 Partly Cloudy

The Euchre Club of Chicago's first spin-off, the Bridge Club of Chicago, is still looking for new members, so if you've ever wondered just what this game called Brid ge is all about, talk to ECC member John Romalis.

Feel free to send a note to jromalis@chicagogsb.edu and let him know you'd like to play.

Sunday, May 27/b> - Next Board Meeting, 4:30pm @ Charlie's
Saturday, June 2 - Voting Begins
Sunday, June 17 - Next Variation Night
Sunday, July 15 -- Annual ECC Anniversary Party at Sea! (this is a tentative date, but we suggest you put the date on hold if you want to join us)

Congratulations to the following recent winners!

Wed May 2- Gregory Ward with a 52!
Sat May 5 - Scott Dillavou with a 52!
Sun May 6 - Marv Leach with a 55!

Please join us in wishing ECC member John Love a fond farewell before he moves away to Boston (we hear they play Euchre there too). John's official going away party is Saturday, May 19 at 3pm, T's Bar and Grill (on Clark st.). If you'd like to go, please send an e- mail to John's great friend Enrique "Pinata" Nieto (we've fixed the link) and let him know you're coming so he can get an idea of the crowd. Good luck John, we'll miss you!

"It's only memorable when he stops talking."- Sam Sirko, commenting on his BF Lou Smith's penchant for, um, verbosity.

Dear Hoyle,

You recently suggested that if you don't like playing at a two or three handed table to arrive earlier to get seated at a lower numbered table like the other club members who arrive early for that very same reason. Well, I took your advice and did arrive early. I was surprised to see the names of people already signed up who had not yet arrived. Please tell me how I too can get on the ECC-Elite-Pre-Arrival-Sign-in-List. - Enquiring Three Hander

Dear ETH:

I understand your concerns and confusion, but please know that there is no secret Elite status in the Euchre Club -- we can't afford the membership cards. What you will encounter is the discretion of the evening directors. Each evening of Euchre has its cadre of usual suspects -- those folks who get to cards extra early to practice, eat, and sign up themselves and their friends (and pay too). It's up to the discretion of the director whether or not to sign in people who aren't yet present, but it's a privilege afforded to nearly anyone who will ask -- as long as you don't abuse it (i.e. sign in your friends only to have them not show up -- which tends to make the directors very grumpy).

So if you truly want to avoid those two and three handed tables, talk to the director and he will surely be able to accommodate you. Unless you're cranky about it, then all bets are off.

Confidential to Daddy: That young buck for whom you're lusting is appreciative of your interest, but not in a place to start seeing anyone right now. The good news is you've saved yourself the cost of an expensive meal.

If you have a question about Euchre strategy, ECC club rules, relationships or just life in general, send an e-mail to resident expert Hoyle at euchrechicago@yahoo.com. We promise all e- mails are anonymous, and the answers may just surprise you.