A December tournament in Mobile asks players to bring diapers

Mobile's mahjong parlor has found a way to make its last tournament of the year count for families. Dots and Dragons Mahjong will hold its 4th Quarter Tournament on Sunday, December 6, and the event page names its purpose in the title: a diaper collection for the Junior League of Mobile Diaper Bank.

The afternoon runs from 2 to 5 at the parlor, 2724 Old Shell Road, Suite G. Mingling starts at 2 with light bites, and play begins at 2:30. Entry is $65 and non refundable, and the page allows 40 players. When we checked it, 37 seats were still open.

What players need to know

The game is American Mahjong. The event page asks every player to bring an NMJL card, meaning the card of hands the National Mah Jongg League publishes each year. Everything else is provided, including tournament friendly tiles, according to the page. Further food and drinks can be bought on site, and there are prizes for the top scorers.

The page does not spell out how many diapers to bring, so a pack in any size seems the natural gesture. A player who registers and then cannot come may pass the seat to another player by contacting the parlor, the page says, since entries are not refunded. Live standings will be posted through the event page on the day.

The tournament is one of many dates on the parlor's calendar, which also lists classes, leagues and open play, so a player who enjoys the afternoon will find plenty of reasons to come back in the new year.

Where the diapers go

The Junior League of Mobile, founded in 1931, runs the city's diaper bank. According to a March 2026 announcement carried by The Business View, the program distributes an average of 55,000 to 75,000 diapers a year. The League is a member of the National Diaper Bank Network and is described there as the only diaper bank in Mobile taking part in that national program.

The same announcement explains why the need matters. Childcare centers often require parents to supply diapers, so a family without them can lose both daycare and a day of work. Citing National Diaper Bank Network research, it says parents without enough diapers miss an average of 5.1 workdays a month. The League also holds free drive thru giveaways, like the one it announced for this past March at its headquarters on North Sage Avenue, where volunteers handed one package to each car and partner groups on site offered food, pantry help and counseling. The diaper bank also appears on Feed America's directory of National Diaper Bank Network members.

OOTT is not affiliated with Dots and Dragons Mahjong or the Junior League of Mobile and does not sell mahjong sets.

Prim's view

This is Prim's opinion. Mahjong players have always been good at turning an afternoon of tiles into something larger, and a diaper drive is a particularly sensible choice. Diapers are not glamorous, and nobody thinks to give them until someone asks. A room full of players arriving with a pack under one arm is a lovely sight, and every pack stays in Mobile.

If you play anywhere near the Gulf Coast, Prim suggests you claim one of those seats, bring your card and a pack of diapers, and enjoy the light bites. Prim will be cheering for the top scorers, and for the families who will never know whose hands built the wall that afternoon.

“Diaper need affects the health of children as well as the security and wellbeing of the family.”Junior League of Mobile, via The Business View