When Chet and Nancy Childers moved to the Retreat at Sterling on the Lake two and a half years ago, they were looking forward to a slower pace, a welcoming community, and time to enjoy the things that matter most—family, friends, and meaningful moments. What they didn’t expect was how something as simple as learning a new game would grow into a lifeline of connection, comfort, and purpose.

Originally from South Georgia, the Childers family has spent their life together moving around the country—from Florida to Virginia to Pennsylvania—before eventually settling in Georgia. They’ve been married 51 years this June, a journey that began on a church bowling trip when they were just teenagers. Now retired, Nancy is a former educator with degrees from Auburn, Georgia College and State University, and the University of Georgia. Chet, a Georgia Tech graduate, built a career in business software sales, racking up more than 2 million Delta miles before retiring.

They raised three sons, all graduates of Collins Hill High School, and now enjoy spending time with their sons, daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren. For 22 years, Chet and Nancy ran the Peachtree Road Race together on July 4th—one of many traditions that reflect their shared love of activity and optimism.

But it was a quieter pursuit that would come to mean even more. When Nancy joined a Mah Jongg group in the Retreat, she didn’t realize how transformative it would be. She quickly found herself drawn not just to the game’s challenge and strategy, but to the community it created. Now playing weekly at the Retreat and Lodge Clubhouses, Mah Jongg has become a steady rhythm in her life—offering fun, focus, and friendship in equal measure. It’s a space where laughter flows easily, and where neighbors quickly become friends.

In October 2024, Chet was diagnosed with ALS after several unexplained falls during a Camino de Santiago hike in Spain. The diagnosis changed everything. Chet now lives with a rare form of ALS that includes both limb-onset and bulbar-onset symptoms, which affect mobility, speech, and swallowing. Though it has limited some of his favorite activities—most recently, stepping away from golf—his outlook remains incredibly strong. “My strength, mobility, and golf game have disappeared,” he recently shared in a note to his golfing group. “But my friendship for you guys will never end—so you can’t get rid of me.”

As they adjusted to their “journey no one chooses,” Nancy leaned into the comfort of her Mah Jongg circle. It became more than a game—it became grounding. “Helping others helps us,” she often says, and that belief led her to turn her love of the game into a greater cause.

On Thursday, September 18, Nancy and her Birdie Bam Team are organizing "Fun for a Great Cause," a Mah Jongg charity event at the Retreat Clubhouse at Sterling on the Lake to benefit Racing for ALS.  Open to all skill levels, the event is from 1:00 - 5:00 pm and includes snacks, drinks, prizes, and silent auction basket bidding.  Registration will open on August 7th for residents of the Retreat and Sterling on the Lake. Participants may register as an individual or table group of four.  For more information, visit mightycause.com/mahjonggals.

Now equipped with a power wheelchair (fitted in Georgia Tech gold) and a handicap van, Chet and Nancy continue to travel and pursue the things they love—especially time with their family and time spent in community. Their faith, humor, and deep partnership carry them through this chapter, just as it has through so many others.

What began as a new hobby quickly became a symbol of everything Nancy and Chet value: friendship, resilience, and making every day count.