Game night brings Franklin Square neighbors together

A game of Monopoly, Yahtzee or Clue with friends and family is something of a forgotten pastime for many — but Jason Alvino, a Franklin Square native, felt inspired to start a community game night at the Franklin Square Public Library in 2022 to bring back some of the camaraderie that neighbors were missing.

When the country was in lockdown during the pandemic in 2020, Alvino and his wife, Heather, played board games regularly to pass the time.

“I amassed this ridiculous collection of board games,” he said. “Everything from really basic stuff to these new board games that I wasn’t really aware of. You know, these crazy strategy games and games that involve using an app to play it.”

At the time, many people’s loneliness had been exacerbated by isolation. In 2022, Alvino read an article in The New York Times about the “epidemic of loneliness” and how it was affecting people’s health. Even before the lockdown, people everywhere had become detached from one another in their daily life since the advent of the social media age.

“Technology was changing, and a lot of younger people were obviously connecting online, while older and more mature people really didn’t have that outlet,” Alvino said.

He had been president of the Friends of the Franklin Square Public Library, and thought there had to be a way the library could help. He spoke to its director, Aviva Kane, who offered to let Alvino use the facility’s multipurpose room for a monthly game night starting in 2022.

“We made it similar to when you go to your friend’s house, you have a little coffee cake, you play a game and you socialize,” Alvino said of the comfortable atmosphere they created.

Every third Wednesday of the month since then, people have gathered at the library to get out of the house, socialize and play some games with their neighbors.

“We didn’t have something (at the library) where it was just like, let’s just go hang out with people in our community — strangers, it doesn’t matter, everybody’s welcome and let’s play some games,” Alvino said. “We try to make a dent in this loneliness that seems to permeate a lot of communities — and they don’t really know how to help or how to fix it.”

The monthly outings draw roughly 25 people, including regulars and newcomers.

“It’s really grown since” it started, Alvino said. “I think it’s something that is important.”

The participants play Mahjong, Splendor, Alien Frontiers, Uno, Checkers, Mystery Mansion and more from the library’s collection. The night is catered more to “older and mature people,” Alvino said, simply because there don’t seem to be many outlets like this for them. Kids and teens do attend, however, and have even taught the adults some card games.

“I kind of encourage anyone to come,” Alvino said. “Anybody is welcome, and we try to have a little something for everyone.”

The next game night is scheduled for Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. No registration is required.

Beyond these gatherings, Alvino believes the library is an important place in the community for people to get together — a place that has something for everyone, no matter their age.

“I think the library itself, the role of the public library in the community has changed a little bit, obviously since technology” has advanced, he said. “Everyone has a library on their phone now, basically. But now it’s turned into a kind of hub for the community.”

He said he was happy that the event had opened some people’s eyes to all of the programs the library offers.

“I think it’s really good that people are really changing their perspective that, oh, the library is this stuffy old place with books where you have to be quiet,” Alvino said. “I think, in our own way maybe, we’re helping change the perspective of what people think of the library — not just as a place to learn and go to get knowledge, but also as a place for community, where you can talk to your neighbors.”