Thursday morning games brings people together at Roscoe Township Community Center

If you hear bursts of laughter and the frantic shuffling of cards echoing from the Roscoe Township Community Center on a Thursday morning, you’ve found the town's liveliest crew.

Thanks to a generous senior recreational activity grant that covers the venue cost, local seniors gather every single week for good company, great conversation, and some seriously fun competition. Doors open for socialization and catch-up time at 9:00 AM, and the cards start flying at 10:00 AM (or as soon as a table of six is ready to play).

Clean books to the left. Dirty books to the right. A special wooden discard holder stuck in the middle. Photo/Adam Neblock

This past Thursday, the game of choice was the wildly popular Hand and Foot. It’s a partner game where the ultimate goal is to "go out" while racking up the most points—and avoiding those dreaded point deductions left in your "foot" hand!

Tables were packed with custom card holders and a mountain of decks—rules dictate you need one deck per person, plus one extra, making for a massive pile of Jokers and 2s acting as wild cards. Photo/Adam Neblock

Every game has rules. And maybe the most important thing to keep in mind for these Thursday morning sessions is that your table will patiently take you through them. Photo/Adam Neblock

Next Thursday, the center is doubling down. Not only will Hand and Foot be back on the tables, but they are also introducing Mahjong to the lineup. Photo/Adam Neblock

An empty table for Elijah? No! It's for mahjong, which will be available next week.

Newcomers are highly encouraged to attend. Whether you are a seasoned card shark or have never touched a Mahjong tile in your life, this welcoming crew will show you the ropes. Photo/Adam Neblock

Remember to tell them you “saw it in the Rockton-Roscoe News.”