GAMING GET-TOGETHERS: Members of the Eau Claire Board Game Group convene weekly at Clairemont Comics in Eau Claire, though they hop around the Chippewa Valley to convene in a good ol' fashioned game with the community. (Submitted photo)

The Eau Claire Board Game Group (or ECBGG for short) is a thriving local board game group comprising over 450 local members. After hitting the pause button due to COVID-19, they’re excited to get gaming into the new year.

“We use the group to share the opportunity to play games with different people in the community who share the same interest,” said founder Brandy McQueen, “whether they be brand new to the hobby or in it for decades.”

Every week, they host Friday Night Games at Clairemont Comics in Eau Claire. This year, they’re hosting a New Years Eve Gaming Bash and pot luck starting at 10am on Friday, Dec. 31. Events like this help break the stereotype that gamers just hide out in their basements.

“The ECBGG offers the chance for people to get their hands on something they might have never known existed before,” McQueen said. “We create safe spaces for people to not only talk about gaming related things they might not have the chance to talk about in their everyday lives, but also a space for them to work on themselves internally as well.”

Check out more about the group at facebook.com/groups/ECBGG.