By Maggie FitzRoy
A Canadian citizen from South Korea, Hannah Kim Smith moved to Canada at age six, and to the Beaches area in 2013 with her parents. In 2015 they became members of the Ponte Vedra Inn & Club, where she has made many friends.
Now living in Palm Valley with her husband, Mike, Hannah is an avid mahjong player at PVIC and an active member of the club’s book club, where she first met Mike.
She is also an enthusiastic member of the Pickleball Club at the Brown Family YMCA in Ponte Vedra Beach, where she also plays mahjong. Hannah says she enjoys mahjong, a group game played with tiles, and pickleball, a paddle sport much like tennis, because they are both highly social and she loves people and bringing people together.
Q: What first brought you to the Beaches?
A: My sister, Dr. Betty Kim, was a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic. It was her first job, and she invited me and my parents to live with her in Jacksonville Beach.
Q: When did you join the PVIC book club?
A: In 2015. It was small then, six older ladies and me. I was young and the only visible minority.
Q: How did you happen to meet your husband at the club?
A: He’d been a member of PVIC since the 1980s but had never had the time to come to the book club until 2015. The first time he came is when he met me. I am grateful to PVIC for giving us the opportunity to meet. I think of it as a matchmaking place.
Q: What type of books do you like to read?
A: I like New York Times bestsellers but thanks to book club I have read many books I never would have read, which is great. I send out a book club newsletter once a month to draw members together in other ways, inviting them to meet up at other PVIC events.
Q: Has the book club grown since you joined?
A: Yes, we now have 61 members. Many in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. I love that.
Q: How and when did you start playing mahjong?
A: My sister introduced me to it. I had never played games. I hated games. Thanks to my friend Lucille Swinarton, I learned to play well, both the American and Chinese versions. And thanks to Ashley Feil, director of the PVIC Member Experience, we play mahjong every week now at the club. It’s social because it’s traditionally played in groups of four. It’s good for you because it strengthens memory, strategic thinking, and hand-eye coordination. It also teaches you how to manage risk and adapt to changing circumstances.
Q: What do you like about pickleball?
A: Like mahjong, it has the same mental and social benefits. It’s usually played in doubles, so it fosters social interaction and camaraderie among players. It’s also a great way for seniors to connect with others and build friendships.
Q: How and when did you start playing pickleball?
A: I had never been involved in sports. My husband played tennis at PVIC, so I got involved with pickleball when it began at the Y. Claire Dickson, the pickleball coordinator there, is a great organizer. I’m a beginner/intermediate player and she has introduced me to many people at my skill level. I never identified myself as a sports person, but the sport gives me confidence. When I win, I feel great. Learning new skills, I feel like I’ve achieved something.
