In the early 1990s, a passion for shuffleboard inspired resident Roger B. Farquhar (father of current resident Judy Farquhar) to promote construction of an outdoor cement court at Friends House. Scoring lines were painted, cues and biscuits (shuffleboard discs) obtained, and residents were soon enjoying healthy outdoor exercise coupled with engaging community fun. But as the years — and those early enthusiasts — passed, popularity waned. By 2020 the cracked court was unplayable, and the old equipment was gathering dust in a closet.

When the threat of COVID lifted, our FHSA Games Committee (inspired by Ollie Moles and Joe Rockey) teamed with Administration to bring shuffleboard back. The old cement was broken up and replaced, and our FH Maintenance crew (guided by Kim Glazier) installed a state-of-the-art professional plastic playing surface and an adjacent storage shed. Shuffleboard was ready to return!

The new court opened in 2025, and the Games Committee organized a group of enthusiastic beginners who spent the season enjoying the game and honing their skills. With encouragement from Barbara Brubeck, many decided to enter the 2026 Maryland Senior Olympics Shuffleboard Competition.

On August 9, the Friends House bus carried eight hopeful shuffleboarders — Barbara Brubeck, Karoline Dunne, Gloria Escobar, Raul Escobar, Susan Griffin, Janet Hudson, Jane Rockey, and Joe Rockey — to Rockville, where they joined some 60 competitors from around the state. Each player competed in three 10-frame Singles games.

The happy hours spent on our new court paid off in Gold. Our team brought home Gold, Silver, Bronze, and fourth-place medals, and Friends House is now home to several Maryland state champions — with some eligible for the 2027 National Senior Games.

From the shuffleboard dreams of the 1990s to Senior Olympics Gold in 2026, it’s been quite a journey — and a portent that the future of shuffleboard at Friends House will be every bit as much fun as its past.