Supporting Scholastic Chess
Three Mayors Attend
The Second Annual
Mayor’s Chess Challenge Season Finale 

At Pembroke Lakes Golf and Country Club Nineteen Restaurant

Pembroke Pines, FL...May 25, 2017…The Second Annual Mayor’s Chess Challenge, hosted by Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank C. Ortis
at Club Nineteen at Pembroke Lakes Golf and Country Club, promoted critical and creative thinking and provided lots of fun and prizes!  A passionate chess player, Pembroke Pines Mayor Ortis enjoyed playing chess with adults, children and officials from throughout Broward County.
 
Two local mayors joined Mayor Ortis for the chess season finale. Mayor Greg Ross of Cooper City and Mayor Michael Ryan of Sunrise participated in the event along with Pembroke Pines Commissioner Jay Schwartz, School Board Member Patti Good and Principal of the Year Elaine Saef.
 
This year Pembroke Pines added a “ROOK”ie section designated for first timer chess players.  A play on words and chess humor at its finest, veteran players know the word ROOK to be a game piece, which can move horizontally and vertically. In the ROOKie area, attendees were free to play on “NO Stress Chess” game boards, large tabletop games, and/or with a giant floor game set. “Mayor Ortis spent time in the ROOKie section giving pointers and sharing a few of his favorite chess tips,” said Francie Novo, Special Events Coordinator for the City of Pembroke Pines. The author of the “CHESS 4 KIDS” Book and Pembroke Pines resident Lucio Garay attended. Garay teaches chess and taught school in Broward County for twenty years.
 
The first participant to arrive at the Second Annual Pembroke Pines Mayor’s Chess Challenge with a completed chess passport was named CHESS KING “Mauro” for the Day. Young Mauro posed with Mayor Ortis and was presented with a glass chess set.  “All participants who traveled the Broward County City Chess Circuit received a stamp in their passport. Chess players who presented a completely stamped chess passport at the Pembroke Pines season finale were recognized and presented with a glass chess set,” added Novo.
 
Power Financial Credit Union was the Main Event Sponsor and gave attendees stuffed animals, metal thermos cups, pizza cutters for family pizza and game night, phone ear plugs, note pads and pens. The event sponsor Club Nineteen Restaurant at Pembroke Lakes Golf and Country Club provided a buffet of healthy treats including an assortment of fruits, juices and coffee.

For more information about the Mayor’s Chess Challenge in Pembroke Pines, please contact Tom Joyce at 954-392-2127 or email TJoyce@ppines.com. 

Event hosted by the Pembroke Pines Recreation and Cultural Arts Department  www.ppines.com/specialevents

The Mayor’s Chess Challenge is a First Move event sponsored by the nonprofit America’s Foundation 4 Chess www.af4c.org . Internationally, America’s Foundation 4 Chess First Move program can be found in Scotland, England, Kenya, St Lucia, Antigua, Suriname and 26 States in the U.S. where approximately 140,000 students participate in the program.

Media Only:
Valerie L. Moran, Publicist Pembroke Pines Media
C: 954.392.9494 / E: VLMoran@ppines.com