One of the many wonderful pleasures of reading is that a great book can be enjoyed just about anywhere, and these days there are so many ways to get a copy of a great book. Let’s join together this month in reading the very timely selection, A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles.
 
Our April gathering date is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 at 7:30pm We will be putting our heads together to explore the possibility of meeting virtually. If you happen to be tech savvy or master of collaborative options, we’d love to have you host, or consult on the process, so please reach out if you can help.
 
Libraries are currently closed, yet there are still several ways to read the book.  Please check out the Holliston library website for instructions on using the Minuteman network to borrow digital and audio versions.  You can also expand your online borrowing options by creating a Boston Public Library account.  An update regarding the April meeting will be emailed to book club members as decisions are made. If you have questions and ideas, please reach the co-chairs through Facebook or email; we’d love to hear from you! 
 
 

"A Gentleman in Moscow immerses us in another elegantly drawn era with the story of Count Alexander Rostov. When, in 1922, he is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the count is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel's doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him a doorway into a much larger world of emotional discovery..."-- Provided by publisher.
 
Upcoming selections:
May: Olive, Again, by Elizabeth Strout
June: The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

Cindy and Sue
Book Club Co-Chairs 
Cindy Carr   carr.cynthiad@gmail.com
Sue Hatton   hncbookclub@outlook.com

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the current State of Emergency, we regret that the following social, fundraising, and civic events have been canceled.  We thank the committees for the time and effort that they put into planning these events and look forward to getting together and helping our community in the future.
 
    Ladies’ Escape (4/3) – Jennifer Mott, Timea Kovacs, Erica Long 
     Princess & SuperHero Party (4/4) - Christel DiPippo & Donna Goyette
     Children's Activities (4/27) - Julianne Catlin  
     Easter Baskets - Mary Kinsella & Tricia Benson

Easter is Coming-April 12, 2020
 
Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors is once again sponsoring a drive for Easter Baskets for the children of the Holliston Pantry Shelf's patrons. We would like to enlist your help to have the children receive Easter Baskets. The way that this works is that family members sign up with the Pantry Shelf, and provide the child's age and gender and some ideas of what the child likes or specific interests. Once matched with a child or family, volunteers could make their own baskets or visit or call Fiske's where they will make a basket for you and the recipient. You will receive a 20 percent discount on all of the items, and Fiske's will assemble the basket for you.
 
Some further details are:
Children ages 0-3 receive a $25 gift card to Target
Children ages 4-13 receive a $25 - $30 Easter Basket
Children ages 14-18 receive a $25 gift card to Fiske's or Target
 
If you would like to participate or have some questions you can email Mary Kinsella at mlkinsella@verizon.net, and I will let you know what we need donated. Or if you prefer, you can mail or drop off a check or a $25 gift card to Target or Fiske’s. Once you have been assigned a child or family, I will email you the location for drop off, which will take place April 3 and April 4.

Your generosity is much appreciated.
Tricia and Mary
Easter Baskets Co-Chairs
Mary Kinsella   mlkinsella@verizon.net
Tricia Benson   tbens@comcast.net

We have two Ladies' Escapes coming up.

1.  Ladies' Escape: Mixology Basics
Join the HNN Ladies at the Wine House in Holliston on March 19 at 6:30 pm for "Shaken or Stirred: Mixology Basics."  Learn the basics of being a great home bartender! Victoria and Rochelle of the Wine House will be mixing up cocktails and showing us the tricks of the trade. We'll discuss spirits, mixology terms, techniques and glassware! The cost is $25, and tickets can be purchased in advance at the Wine House or over the phone at 508-429-4637.  After class, we can wander over to Casey's for a drink or bite to eat and chat.  Please note that this class is open to the public and may sell out, so purchase your tickets and let us know if you plan to join us at timusch@yahoo.com or hncladiesescape@gmail.com!
 
2. Ladies' Escape: Spring Floral Arrangements
Please join us on Friday, April 3 at 7:30 pm for a floral class!  Erica Long will be teaching us how to create a fun basket arrangement using colorful spring flowers!  The cost will be $30 per person, and all supplies will be provided - along with delicious snacks and beverages.  No need to pre-pay, just bring either cash or check with you to the event.  You can use your new floral skills (and reuse the basket!) to make a beautiful Spring centerpiece!  Erica's address will be provided upon RSVP to either timusch@yahoo.com or hncladiesescape@gmail.com.  

Jennifer and Timea
Ladies Escapes Co-Chairs
Jennifer Mott   hncladiesescape@gmail.com
Timea Kovacs   timusch@yahoo.com

Join us on April 27th at 4:00 pm at Willow Brook Farm in Holliston for snacks, petting zoo, and horse rides.  This is a favorite activity with our members each year; I hope you can make it.

The cost is $10 per child.  We must have a count before the event, so please RSVP to juliannecatlin@gmail.com with the number of children who will be attending.

See you there!
Julie
Children's Activities Chair
Julianne Catlin   juliannecatlin@gmail.com

Please join us on Tuesday, March 17 at 7:30 pm for friendship, a few snacks and discussion of, Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens.

Book club has enjoyed a great year so far, and we are pleased to have welcomed a few new faces along the way.  If you have been thinking about joining but haven’t made it yet, there is still time left and we have some great titles coming up.  This month we are reading the highly popular selection, Where the Crawdads Sing--Delia Owens' debut novel that will have you glued to the book within the first few pages!
 

"For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She's barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark. But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning from the false signals of fireflies the real way of this world. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world--until the unthinkable happens."-- Provided by publisher.

 A look ahead at our 2020 reading list:
April:  A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
May: Olive, Again, by Elizabeth Strout
June: The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica

Cindy and Sue
Book Club Co-Chairs 
Cindy Carr   carr.cynthiad@gmail.com
Sue Hatton   hncbookclub@outlook.com

Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 4th, 10:30 am-12:30 pm! Our third annual Princess and SuperheroParty is back again at Placentino Cafetorium.

Last year was such a fun and interactive event with even more princesses and superheroes than before, as well as karate demonstrations, hair salon stylists, crafts, hair chalk, nail art, temporary tattoos, singing and dancing, and Holliston’s own everyday superheroes K-9 Mattis and Officer Hagan. All of this fun and an ice cream sundae bar makes for a magically sweet day!

Christel and Donna
Princess and Superhero Co-Chairs
Christel DiPippo   christellize@yahoo.com
Donna Goyette   dgoyette@verizon.net

We are currently canvassing businesses in Holliston and the surrounding communities to support us this year. Our sponsor benefits have been revised for 2020  with the details on our webpage at https://hollistonnewcomers.org/Become-a-Sponsor. We would like to welcome and thank the businesses that have already signed up to be our 2020 Sponsors

     ● Gold - Harelick Dental and Goldfish Swim School in Milford
     ● Silver - Tink’s Magical Vacations with Donna
     ● Bronze - Blessed Beginning Preschool,
                           Dr. Preussner Aesthetic & Family  Dentistry, and
                           The Bloom Center
 
If you or someone you know would like to sponsor HNN, email Christel DiPippo, christellize@yahoo.com
 
Debbie and Christel
Sponsorship Co-Chairs
Debbie Colburn   cd.mp@verizon.net
Christel DiPippo   christellize@yahoo.com

We are delighted to bring back our beloved playgroups to this membership year! In years past, we’ve split them into two different kinds of playgroups: one weekday and one weekend playgroup. Of course, you can choose both if you would like to meet more people and are available. Personally, I have met some of my closest friends here through HNN playgroups, when I barely knew anyone in town.
 
Traditionally, on a rotating basis, these playgroups are held at a member's home, the park, or library. But it is what you make of it, and each group may decide what works best for them. It’s such a fun and casual setting, where kids can play and parents can socialize.
 
Thank you to those who replied to our Children’s Playgroups email with a group preference. It’s not too late to let us know in which one you may be interested. Please email us at HNNplaygroups@gmail.com with your preferred group, or if you did not receive the initial e-mail.
 
Happy playing,

Christel
Playgroup Coordinator
Christel DiPippo   christellize@yahoo.com

Please join us on Tuesday, February 18 at 7:30 pm for friendship, a few snacks and discussion of,
The Island of Worthy Boys by Connie Hertzberg Mayo. In the spirit of community, we read along with the library’s “One Book/One Holliston” reading program each February. The meeting location for our monthly discussion is emailed to book club members a day or two before the meeting. Copies of the books are on reserve for us at Holliston Library.

This year the library is hosting an author presentation on Thursday, Feb 13 at 7:00 pm, and you are likely to find other club members there.  Connie will share the story of Thompson's Island, the Boston Farm School and how she came to write this novel.  If you are interested, check the Facebook page to see who else may be going, or just show up to this community-wide event.

“In 1889, the Boston Farm School didn't accept boys with any sort of criminal record. Which made it the perfect hiding place for two boys who accidentally killed someone. Charles has been living alone on the streets of Boston for the last two of his twelve years. Aidan's mom can't stay sober enough to keep her job. When the boys team up, Charles teaches Aidan the art of rolling drunks in the saloon and brothel district, and life starts to look up--until a robbery goes horribly wrong one night, and they need to leave the city or risk arrest. When the boys con their way into The Boston Farm School--located on an island one mile out in Boston Harbor--they think they've cheated fate. But the Superintendent is obsessed with keeping the bad element out of his school, and as both their story and their friendship start to splinter, Charles and Aidan discover they are not as far from the law as they had hoped.”  From the publisher.

A look ahead at our 2020 reading list:

March:  Where the Crawdads Sing, by Delia Owens
April:  A Gentleman in Moscow, by Amor Towles
May: Olive, Again, by Elizabeth Strout
June: TBD-Keep those ideas coming, and we’ll make a final selection soon.

Cindy and Sue
Book Club Co-Chairs 
Cindy Carr   carr.cynthiad@gmail.com
Sue Hatton   hncbookclub@outlook.com