LUDLOW, Vt. – The GFWC Okemo Valley Women’s club met Monday, Feb. 13 at the Black River Valley Senior Center in Ludlow. 25 women were present, including guests.
The women were happy to welcome Scott Stearns, owner of the Book Nook bookstore in Ludlow. Scott returned this year to give the club members a look at what is new and exciting for 2023 reading. He started with reads by local authors including “Bad Decisions Make Great Stories” by Pat Moore and “Stop Screaming, (How some of us made it through Covid-19)” by OVWC member Jane Hart. Next Scott reviewed spring releases such as “Happy Place” by Emily Henry, “The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece” by Tom Hanks, and “The Good Left Undone” by Adriana Trigiani. Non fiction recommendations included “Prisoners of the Castle” by Ben Macintyre, a thrilling read about the famous Nazi WWII Colditz prison; Billie Jean King’s autobiography “All In,” and “A Fever in the Heartland” by Timothy Egan, a historical thriller that tells the riveting story of the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to power in the 1920’s, the cunning con man who drove that rise, and the woman who stopped them. For young readers Scott recommended the Grumpy Monkey series, with the latest in the series, “Valentine Gross-Out.” The Book Nook is open every day except Tuesdays and is located at 136 Main Street in Ludlow.
The women also held a business meeting to discuss projects and club events, including the recent Christmas Project to enhance the holidays for local children by contributing gifts through Black River Good Neighbor. Another ongoing club project is the Trees of Remembrance in both Ludlow and Proctorville, which is an annual fund raising project for the club to support their community programs, including a local high school scholarship for students attending two year colleges or trade schools, a state wide scholarship for displaced women returning to the work force, and the giving of news magazines to local primary schools, among several other community causes. Contributions for the Trees of Remembrance may still be directed to chairwoman Fran Derlinga at 29 Clearwater Drive, Grantham, NH 03753.
The club also held their annual President’s Day weekend bake sale on Friday, Feb. 17 to raise funds for their ongoing and future community projects. Despite the cold wind blowing through Ludlow that afternoon, the sale was another success. The club members would like to thank the many folks who appreciated their homemade goods by making purchases to contribute to the club’s many causes.
The next meeting of the Okemo Valley Women’s Club will be Monday, March 13. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Black River Senior Center in Ludlow. Anyone wishing to attend may contact President Penny Trick at 802-975-0313, Membership Chairwoman Roxie Davis at 802-226-7417, or any club member.
The Okemo Valley Women’s Club is a member of GFWC – the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, an international women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.