The Rita Alkonis Memorial Award goes to the Unit 359 Intermediate player who wins the most master points in Unit 359 local club games. The Unit 359 Board has defined "Intermediate" to mean one who begins the calendar year with between 500 and 1000 masterpoints. So that the Award may be made at our annual Holiday Party, the Award covers points won between 1 January and 15 November of a given year. The winner collects a $100 cash prize.

The Award was established by former Unit 359 member Irene Hyatt in memory of her friend and frequent bridge partner Rita Alkonis, who passed away in 2004. Rita and Irene were both longtime Unit 359 members and feared competitors at the table. Irene moved from Boulder some years ago and is now a member of our neighboring Denver unit.

Vince Bates won 67+ masterpoints in local games to claim the 2007 Award for the second straight year. Here is a list of those who garnered 20 or more masterpoints in the 2007 race:

1)	67.32	Vince Bates
2)	50.41	Ann Johnson
3)	49.08	Andy Johnson
4)	43.12	Paul Haynes
5)	42.01	Anne Vincent
6)	39.87	Kay Birmingham
7)	38.71	Nettie Ashbee
8)	35.72	Denise Desbarats
9)	30.85	Paul Flanders
10/11)	29.48	Ed Sager
10/11)	29.48	Gloria Sager
12)	26.64	Maud Greer
13)	24.93	Katelin Yates
14)	23.21	Pat Lucas
15)	22.63	Ralph Cox
16)	22.38	Andrea Kutscher
17)	21.53	Joan Stern