Mahjong stalwart made club life member

Rockingham Classical Mah- Jong Club celebrated a special milestone recently, with club member Joan Downie awarded life membership.

The club stalwart was recognised for her service during the club’s annual general meeting.

Having been a member for the past decade, Ms Downie has served the club in a number of roles including being responsible for rewriting the club constitution and its by-laws.

Fellow Rockingham Mahjong Club committee member Yvonne Robinson-Schorer hailed Ms Downie for her work over the past 10 years.

Mahjong is a tile-based game involving calculation, skill and strategy, which originated in China during the Qing dynasty.

The game is commonly played by four players, with a number of three player variants found throughout Asia.

“It doesn’t matter how long you have been a member or how long you’ve been playing it — you never know all the rules,” Ms Robinson-Schorer said. “There’s something new to learn all the time. It’s very easy to play but it makes you use your mind all the time.” The club, which has been operating for nearly 25 years, now has 67 members and is always on the lookout for new recruits.

Rockingham Mahjong Club meets every Thursday, from 12.30pm to 4.30pm, at McClarty Hall, in Shoalwater.