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Classes meet every Tuesday and Thursday. To register, visit the Lou Walker Center web site and look for the
From 1:00pm until 1:50pm
At Zoom
Free
Ms. Ericia King, Facility Coordinator. / EAKing@dekalbcountyga.gov
Stone Mountain's Orrin "Checkmate" Hudson, founder and CEO of Be Someone Inc., a non-profit using the game of chess to teach life lessons, recently returned from attending the World Chess Tournament in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and he can't wait to start using the game to enrich the lives of DeKalb County senior citizens. "Watching these champion chess masters strategize their every move has energized my love for the game and desire to teach others how to play and learn from it," he explained.
Hudson’s audience normally is much younger people in the 8-18 range but he relishes opening his chess boards to the older crowd. "Chess is mind stimulation," he said. "These seniors who participate in my classes are eager to learn new skills and improve ones previously learned." Hudson added, "Several participants in earlier classes told me it was great fun but they felt invigorated learning and playing a game that stimulates their thought processes."
The latest round of classes aimed at DeKalb seniors will begin Tuesday, January 4 and will meet virtually every Tuesday and Thursday ending in a tournament February 24. Classes will be held 1 - 1:50 p.m. each day. The virtual classes are designed to allow participants to play from the safety of their home computers. Hudson said, "These folks are not ready to sit and watch TV. They are inspiring as they embrace the game... and try to beat me with tricky moves," he added with a smile. "These seniors are true examples of 'lifelong learners.'"
Since 2000, the Be Someone program has provided chess instruction to more than 88,000 young people. Over the past year, Hudson has presented his classes to DeKalb seniors through the auspices of the DeKalb County Human Services Department. The classes will be presented via Zoom, https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/j/85800984610
For more information, contact Ms. Ericia King, Facility Coordinator, at EAKing@dekalbcountyga.gov . Participation is free. To register, visit the Lou Walker Center web site and look for the "Get in the Game (Chess)" link under the Tuesday virtual lineup of classes.
Hudson could not hide his enthusiasm for these new classes designed for senior players. "I love working with this group. They attack the chess boards with a twinkle in their eyes. They love learning and winning; they are so competitive!" he added. "I know many of them could beat many younger opponents because they have learned how to strategize, think ahead and be patient."
To learn more about Hudson and the Be Someone program, visit www.besomeone.org.