Welcoming all HNN readers to join us on Wednesday, April 21st at 7:30 pm for a “choose your own book” conversation about whatever you read for this month. We hope you will share the title, author, a brief summary, and your overall opinion of your selection. Let the group know if it is something you would recommend, or perhaps want to suggest that we add it to our 2021/2022 book club selections. This style of meeting has been popular among other book clubs, and we look forward to giving it a try for this month. We hope you will join us. A Zoom link will be emailed to all who register on the HNN Book Club Facebook page, or by emailing one of the co-chairs. See you then!
 
Looking ahead, we will resume reading shared titles, starting with Shanghai Girls by Lisa See for May, and then wrap up the year in June, with Anxious People by Fredrik Backman.

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

Hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day!  Those that attended the Ladies Escape Valentine Baking get-together made decadent brownies under the expert direction of Timea Kovacs (thanks Timea!). Chocolate, brown butter, Bailey’s Red Velvet Cream - delicious!
 
But now we look forward to spring and so much is going on! Easter Baskets with the Holliston Pantry Shelf thanks to Tricia Benson, Prize-A-Day calendar raffle planning thanks to my co-chairs Bo Yai and Pamela Pinter Parsons, and the coordination of new fundraisers making dinner a snap thanks to Jennifer Mott and Amy Forman are all in the works - read further in this newsletter for all the details!
 
Hope to see you at future events!
 
Debbie
President
Debbie Colburn   president.hnn@gmail.com

Here are our 2021 Sponsors so far (a couple more are in the works - so more are coming!)
 
Platinum - AnyFence Co.
Gold - Harelick Dental
Silver - Tink’s Magical Vacations with Donna and Bright Jensen Sheehan Insurance Agency
Bronze - Archambault Construction, Blessed Beginnings Preschool, and John's Superior Shoe Repair

Special thanks to Quality Auto Body for their general donation to HNN.

If you or someone you know would like to sponsor HNN, please email committee.newcomers@gmail.com.
The details of the sponsor benefits are on our webpage at
https://hollistonnewcomers.org/Become-a-Sponsor.

This month we will meet on Wednesday, March 17th at 7:30 pm for a light-hearted discussion of The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory.  A Zoom link will be emailed to those who register by responding on the book club Facebook page, or emailing one of the co-chairs at the addresses below.
 
Looking ahead to April, we will be trying something a little different where everyone reads a title of our individual choosing. When we gather to meet on Wednesday, April 21st at 7:30 pm, members will share the name of the book they read, provide a brief description of the book, and share their opinions. This “choose-your-own” style of sharing books is popular among some clubs and offers a great way of sampling many possible titles to build your own reading wish list.

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

Join the Ladies Escape Committee of Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors for a virtual Tea Tasting on Saturday, March 20th at 4:00 p.m. with the Nantucket Tea Company.   Nantucket Tea Company will be offering HNN a private Virtual Afternoon Tea Degustations ("Tasting") for $25.00, for everyone who would like to have a good time with friends, learn more about tea and start building new healthy habits.  The afternoon tea tasting will take roughly an hour.  We will be guided through the tea making and degustation process.  You will receive three (3) 0.5 oz. samples of high-quality, award-winning, loose-leaf teas and a short list of necessities to fully enjoy your afternoon tea.  To order, go to www.nantucket-tea.com, navigate to Catalog, then choose Afternoon Tea Degustations.  Order by March 12th to get your tea in time for the tasting. 

We look forward to seeing you!

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

With the holidays behind us - I hope everyone had a relaxing January. That is everyone except those who attended the Ladies' Escape Zoom Cross-Fit class thanks to Katrine Giroux, Jennifer Mott and Timea Kovaks. What a great workout! A special thanks to Firewall Fitness in Holliston for offering this class free of charge!
 
Sadly, without being able to have our regular family fundraising events last year, the HNN Grant application will not be open to the community this year. However, the funds distributed last year have been saved in reserve for the Holliston Library museum passes and the Holliston Parks and Recreation’s summer concerts so -  when appropriate - those Holliston traditions have been funded for 2021.The funds raised by the one 2020 fundraiser that was held (Prize-A-Day) will be carried into the 2021 Grant Fund.
 
Moving forward, we are excited to bring back the ‘Prize A Day for the Month of May’ calendar raffle, and a new fundraising endeavor - ‘Restaurant Days’ - is well on its way with Co-Chairs Amy Forman and Jennifer Mott. So proud of our membership adjusting to the times with creativity and action.
 
Hope to see you at future events!
 
Debbie
President
Debbie Colburn   president.hnn@gmail.com

We would like to thank the businesses that have already signed up to be 2021 Sponsors
 
     ●             Platinum - AnyFence Co.
     ●             Gold - Harelick Dental
     ●             Silver - Tink’s Magical Vacations with Donna
     ●             Bronze - Blessed Beginnings Preschool and Archambault Construction
 
If you or someone you know would like to sponsor HNN, please email the committee at.newcomers@gmail.com.
The details of the sponsor benefits are on our webpage at
https://hollistonnewcomers.org/Become-a-Sponsor.

The Ladies' Escapes is having an ONLINE VALENTINE’S DAY BAKING PARTY on Saturday, February 6th, 2021 at 7:30 pm. This year, more than ever, we all need a little more LOVE, so let’s virtually get together and bake some delicious Baileys Brownies! Recipe, list of ingredients, and Zoom link will be sent to everyone who RSVPs.
 
We are looking forward to this fun, online baking party!
Please RSVP to Timea at timusch@yahoo.com

Book club members have been fortunate to continue reading together and meeting virtually over the past year. This month, we expand our reading circle by participating in the One Book, One Holliston community read program through the Holliston Public Library. The 2021 selection is, Say I’m Dead: A Family Memoir of Race, Secrets, and Love.  Author Dolores Johnson grew up in Buffalo the daughter of a white mother and an African-American father.  When she began to investigate her family tree, she found more than she could ever have imagined.  This deeply personal and inspiring story of race in America is available in electronic format or in print from the library via curbside pickup. 
 
Our usual book club meeting date coincides with the library’s Meet the Author virtual event on Wednesday, February 17th at 7 pm, so we will attend this in lieu of our meeting. Please consider logging in for this special opportunity to hear directly from the author. Registration is required and is done directly through the library’s website at hollistonlibrary.org .
 
In March, we will be reading The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory, and the remaining months will depend on recommendations by book club members. What’s your idea?
 
Cindy and Sue
Book Club Co-Chairs 
Cindy Carr   carr.cynthiad@gmail.com
Sue Hatton   hncbookclub@outlook.com

Happy New Year!
 
I hope everyone was able to enjoy the holiday season, whether in person or virtually. Although a quieter December than usual - HNN still connected at our Ladies Escape Annual Holiday Party thanks to Jennifer Mott and Timea Kovacs.  What a fun time it was! A few shared cocktail recipes and we unwrapped our presents from the "contact-less Gift Swap."  And great conversation made the evening fly by. But now 2020 is in the past (finally), and we are looking forward to 2021!
 
We may not be able to have our regular family fundraising events right away, but we are bringing back our Month of Prizes! Plus we are looking into organizing one or two "Restaurant Days" and a "Dinner Take-Out" Night. We are also looking for volunteers to drive this home. If you are interested in getting these new endeavors going - please email hnnexecutiveboard@gmail.com.
 
To welcome in 2021, I would like to thank those in the membership who are part of the "essential" workers who have been - and still are - taking care of us and those around us.  Medical professionals and support staff, first responders, teachers, store and restaurant workers, IT professionals, volunteers for organizations or just someone making meals or trips for those who need help - the list goes on.  Know that we appreciate your efforts and dedication.
 
I wish you all a safe & healthy beginning to a year filled with possibilities!
 
Debbie
President
Debbie Colburn   president.hnn@gmail.com