The Spielbound Challenge – START HERE
Submitted by Kaleb Michaud on Sat, 2021-03-27 19:45
The Spielbound Challenge
Submitted by Kaleb Michaud on Sun, 2021-03-14 10:55
We are incredibly proud to have what we believe is the largest playable board game library in the country (currently at 2867 unique titles as of typing this). We never expected anyone to play all of these games, but we had always hoped to expose more of a variety of games than what you’d get at home.
This pandemic has had us on our heels most of the year, and as future looks brighter, we revisit our mission:
We believe games inspire, motivate, and help us grow. In this positive space, we seek to provide all people the challenge, art, and fun unique to the world of board games.
An aspect of board games that we love is that there are so many different kinds of games to play! Even more so as the pandemic has forced many companies to put their games online, which we appreciate though we are biased in preferring in-person play when possible. To help encourage playing new and different kinds of games, we are launching the 2021 Spielbound Challenge.
What is the challenge?
Spielbound Challenge Family Edition.
Spielbound Challenge Strategy Edition.
Spielbound Challenge Ultimate Edition.
We challenge you to play a game in each category of our game library in 2021! Since not every category is appropriate, we offer 3 “editions” of participation: Family, Strategy, and Ultimate. The Family Edition has 13 categories of games mostly found in the bright red shelves of our library and is appropriate for younger players and more casual exploration. The Strategy Edition has 20 categories of games mostly found in the black shelves around our library and is for those who enjoy longer, more strategic games. Lastly, The Ultimate Edition has 33 categories (almost every category possible!) and is for those up for a true challenge including all games in our Family and Strategy Editions as well as those that are harder to find in our archives, foreign language, and protected sections, which requires someone with a membership to access.
When you’ve played a game from one of the categories listed, whether at home, online, or at Spielbound, write down the game’s name, the date, and any other details that you want. You can find a full list of games in each category in our online library listing . Once you’ve completed a challenge (Family, Strategy, or Ultimate editions), please send us your list, and we’ll publicly recognize you at the end of the year, provide a small gift and coupon, and enter you in a drawing for a game or gift certificate appropriate to your challenge edition.
Every month we’ll be writing about a section of our board game library to help you get acquainted with the games in it and our decision-making process for making the category. We’ll also be updating details on this challenge throughout the year. We ask that you use #spielboundchallenge in your social media posts on this, too, to help spread the word.
We’re excited to launch this challenge and hope you’ll join us throughout the year – play on!
Kaleb…
Director, Spielbound
Celebrate Ing
Submitted by Kaitlyn O'Leary on Sun, 2020-12-13 12:26
Spielbound is remembering the life of one of its most dedicated volunteers, Dr. Paul Ing. Paul was active in Spielmasons, Stay Sharp, and even volunteered many hours cataloging games for the library. Paul had a passion for volunteering and mentoring others during his “semi-retired” years. Paul owned a catering business and was always eager to share his recipes during committee meetings. He loved to create new games and Stay Sharp loved to play his game Recollections. Paul would also offer sage advice to those he met, including ways to stay active as you get older, a how-to for raising children, among other things. Paul was the self-proclaimed jester and poster child for Stay Sharp’s target audience. Throughout the years Paul’s experiences honed his ability to focus on finding solutions in the shortest amount of time possible while having the most fun. There was never a dull moment when Paul was around, and we would like to take this opportunity to write down a few of our favorite memories.
Spielbound is accepting donations (
) in honor of Dr. Paul Ing
to keep his memory alive in future Spielbound endeavors that he was so committed to volunteer. These funds would
exclusively go toward ensuring that Paul and his spirit will live on in our board game community. Our goal is to make
something in his name to celebrate his memory.
We miss you Paul.
“For a moment Paul and I were the only two committee members for Stay Sharp, as our group grew in numbers one of my
favorite memories was listening to him tell his signature jokes to every new member… I’m Paul Ing, you can remember
me because I am simply appalling [a Paul Ing] … I am very fortunate to have worked alongside Paul for the past couple
years and I will never forget his jokes and bits of wisdom that I have picked up along the way”
"With his unforgettable introduction as a-Paul-Ing, Paul left an indelible impression on so many aspects of
Spielbound, its volunteers, and me. He came in almost daily two years ago to try out his new games and test them with
Rollie - he had a fire in his belly to create something that would continue making fun, memorable experiences with
others. Through play I got to see some of his many layers, connect about Taiwan, food, science, and that he loved and
was proud of his family, no matter their distance. Paul gave so much and made my world brighter. Shine on."
"Paul saw the world with a unique vision that was reflected in the uniqueness of his game designs. Playing a game
with him was like sharing in the way he saw the world, a world constructed by the mechanics of creativity,
generosity, and passion. The world will be like a game with a missing piece without him."
“Paul always knew how to brighten up a room, whether it was his jokes or just being happy when others weren’t. His
original games were always interesting at the very least and inspired me to be more creative in my own endeavors. I
know that creativity will live on through all of us.”
“He always had a solution for everything. When Andrea and I were moving, he suggested we strap items to ourselves
using cling wrap to help carry stuff in. I wanted to write a paper about stay sharp and he sent me a detailed
document about his life and passion for Stay Sharp. He always showed up to meetings and you could count on his upbeat
attitude.”
“I remember Paul coming into a meeting one day, and we had started talking about where we were born and raised. Paul
and I found out we were from the same county in Maryland. One of the next times I’d seen him, he went out of his way
to find an old beanie from his high school that turned out to be the rival of mine. Him going out of his way to find
that hat and just use it as one of the simplest ways to start a conversation, showed how much he listened and cared
to connect.”
“One evening I went to Spielbound and Paul was there with food that he made as part of a demo. It was crazy spicy,
but also so delicious I couldn't stop eating. I ended up taking his business card. When I got home I laid the card on
the counter and Frank picked it up and said "Oh, you know Paul?" Of course Paul knew Frank.
Paul was gregarious, engaging, a great cook, a fabulous story teller, and always willing to help. Oh yeah, he also played and made, really good board games. Paul will be missed.”
Paul was gregarious, engaging, a great cook, a fabulous story teller, and always willing to help. Oh yeah, he also played and made, really good board games. Paul will be missed.”
“Paul was a jack of all trades. I admired his drive to be constantly learning.”
“Before one of our Stay Sharp events, Paul and I went to Dinker’s for dinner. He was super excited to take me there
because I’d never been, and he was a self-proclaimed connoisseur of salt, fat and beer. He refused to let me pay and
wanted me to enjoy ‘the best burger in Omaha’ with him. I will always remember Paul’s incredible selflessness, his
theory that retirement is a scam, and his devotion to staying mentally and socially active. He will be and is already
missed dearly.”
“Paul was one of the most prolific game designers in the Spielmasons. He was a constant source of creativity, and
there was always a lot of laughter when Paul was around. He was a great friend whom I looked forward to seeing every
week”
“Paul was such a joy to work with and to be around. His creativity, passion, and big heart brought so much to Stay
Sharp. He was a true poster child for aging well. He was smart, funny, and always working on a new game idea (or
three). He even came to our baby shower before our son was born in July, bringing some delicious food and a whole
page full of parenting and life advice. One of my favorite quotes that he shared with us was advice given to country
music singer Minnie Pearl before she performed for the first time at the Grand Ole Opry. “Just love them, honey, and
they’ll love you back.” Paul said this was good advice for many situations, and I think this is how he lived out his
life.”
“Paul had a passion for numbers, dancing, and helping the community. Paul and I connected over dancing and every time
I saw him, he showed me a new ballroom video he had been working on. He was a spirited performer. I always thought
Paul was intelligent. He was proud of his life but was never boastful. He was eager to help each of us out when we
asked, and he fed into our lives. He made us food every time we were together and invited us to more events than most
of us were able to attend. I wish there had been more time. Stay Sharp won’t be the same without our poster child. ”
“Paul never went anywhere without a game in his van or an idea for a game running around his head. It was great
getting to volunteer with him and getting to try out some of his games or while cataloging listening to him throwing
out ideas for how to make a game more playable, engaging, or accommodating to a wider audience. He really championed
the idea that everyone can play.”
Giving Tuesday Update
Submitted by Kaleb Michaud on Tue, 2020-12-01 09:30
Several have asked us how we’re doing, so this is an overdue update. This has been the hardest year of our 8-year existence, which should be no surprise for anyone with a small nonprofit or retail store. Our game library was closed to the public for almost 5 months, and it’s been almost 9 months since most of our volunteer groups have met in person. Yet, we had a successful OmahaGives! Fundraiser in May and our new annual fundraiser is today, Giving Tuesday as part of ShareOmaha.
We haven’t been idle this year. The library has grown considerably and gotten more organized to make finding a game online or in person easier. Spielmasons continued to meet as conditions allowed, and our education program has connected with a network of teachers from around the world that are using board games in the classroom, whether at home, school, or virtual. Our most active program, Stay Sharp, has had the most difficult time since senior communities and those staff that work with our elders have had to be the most isolated for only essential contact. Still, the group has several plans for larger events in the coming summer.
Our longer-term goal was to raise enough funds for a part-time director to start next fall or the following year. This would come from donations and from patron memberships. But hard times are hard, and memberships have been reduced dramatically. Our Everybody Plays program no longer can offer daily game demos, and the café is now relying on selling board games online to stay open. We depend upon the café to be open in order for our game library to be open and have a home. It’s a symbiotic relationship as we both have the same mission. So while we greatly appreciate any donations you can make, we also want to encourage all to help the Spielbound Board Game Cafe through buying gift certificates, memberships, and of course, gifting the great experiences that come from playing board games.
To donate, visit our donations page or by clicking the image below.
Germ free games, from Stay Sharp!
Submitted by Kaitlyn O'Leary on Wed, 2020-07-01 08:31
Hello!
Please consider using social distancing to enjoy some of these word games with your residents and staff. Please reach out to us with any questions, and feel free to share with others!
Best wishes,
Stay Sharp Volunteers
Omaha Gives! 2020
Submitted by Kaleb Michaud on Mon, 2020-05-18 13:35
It’s the one time of the year when we ask you to take a moment to make a donation to Spielbound through Omaha Gives!
Omaha Gives! is a 24-hour online giving event organized by the Omaha Community Foundation (OCF) to grow philanthropy in our region. The goal is to inspire the community to come together for 24 hours to give as much as possible to support the work of public 501c3 nonprofits in the metro area.
During this event, every donation received for Spielbound through Omaha Gives! is matched up to $5000 by a few anonymous donors who really want to see us continue our mission. In addition, each donation provides a chance of Spielbound receiving more through the OCF – we’ve average almost $750 extra each year just by fundraising through Omaha Gives!
So please help us during this once-a-year opportunity!
Spielbound educates, engages, and creates community through board games. We were and will be again a thriving community center for people of all ages, featuring a library of over 2,650 donated board games. Funds received support our 5 main programs:
- Education - providing teachers games and lessons for their classrooms
- Stay Sharp - providing games for all ages as an important source of therapy
- Spielmasons - game creation and play-testing group
- Everyone Plays - teaching games almost every day of the year!
- Library – the foundation for all we do!
During the COVID-19 pandemic our library has been closed to the public, but our groups are still active through virtual meetings/events. Sales received by Spielbound Board Game Cafe help pay for the rent that keeps our library and supplies available, too.
“Stay sharp” and reduce loneliness during quarantine
Submitted by Kaitlyn O'Leary on Tue, 2020-04-07 18:24It is heartbreaking to think that social isolation is not new for some older adults. A report by the Administration for Community Living’s Administration on Aging of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that 13.8 million of community dwelling older adults in live alone. Research has even linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions including obesity, weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline.
The Stay Sharp committee typically hosts events to promote socialization and engagement with older adults through board games. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak our ability to organize groups has been curtailed. Stay Sharp has developed a list of one-player and small group games that can be easily sanitized to ensure that we can still engage our mind, body, and spirit during this tough time. Please remember that if you are playing a game in a small group to wash your hands with soap for 20 seconds before and after playing.
Check out these games!
References
- National Institute on Aging (2019) Social isolation, loneliness in older people pose health risks. https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/social-isolation-loneliness-older-people-pose-health-risks
COVID-19 Announcement
Submitted by Kaleb Michaud on Tue, 2020-03-17 11:40By now it should come at no surprise that we've closed our game library. The cafe, which pays the rent for our library space, is now open 9am-9pm and offering to-go orders only including board games. It only took a few hours yesterday for such a dramatic change.
This will be a trying time for our small nonprofit, which depends greatly upon another small business, Spielbound Board Game Cafe, to keep our games available to the public.
Our weekly group meetings of Spielmasons, Stay Sharp, and our staff have moved to virtual meetings. We still can get access to our library for upcoming events and for cataloging/repairing, but it will be greatly restricted.
We will still be here on the other end of this pandemic and we will be fundraising again as part of Omaha Gives! in May as we highlight the many events planned for the summer and beyond. Our volunteers who helped create Unlock Midtown 2020 are also excited for you to experience that in a more comfortable future.
Thank you for your support and we wish you all a healthy time hopefully at home playing some board games.
Kaleb Michaud, PhD
Director and Co-Founder
Spielbound, Inc
Alzheimer’s Walk 2019
Submitted by Kaitlyn O'Leary on Wed, 2019-12-18 11:13Alzheimer’s Disease has been on the rise since the year 2000, affecting over 5 million people in the United States alone. It is the #6 leading cause of death in our country. Stay Sharp promotes the social and cognitive benefits of game play throughout the lifespan, especially as people get older. Research shows that playing board games and participating in other mentally stimulating activities as we get older helps reduce the risk of dementia (including Alzheimer’s Disease) in older adults.1
This past October, 10 Stay Sharp committee members committed to raising $2000 for the Alzheimer’s Association by participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. This annual event honors those living with the disease, as well as those who have been lost and their caretakers and families.
The originally scheduled date for the event was cancelled due to bad weather, so we had our own impromptu walk in the Midtown Crossing area near Spielbound, through Dewey and Leavenworth Parks, ending at Vis Major Brewing.
Stay Sharp Update, 2019!
Submitted by Kaitlyn O'Leary on Fri, 2019-08-30 15:47
2019 has been an active and FUN year for Stay Sharp, and there’s still more to go!