We will host a show and tell for our kiddos, as the weather is getting cooler and going outside will be harder for us all. Everyone can show off their costumes and favorite toy and have some morning Halloween fun.
 
Saturday, October 31 at 930 am.
 
Shoot me an email and I’ll send over the Zoom info!

Julie
Children's Activities Chair
Julianne Catlin   juliannecatlin@gmail.com

Welcome to a new year for HNN!
 
To no one’s surprise I’m sure - this year will start off a little differently than usual due to COVID-19. There may not be those face to face social activities like Dinner Club until 2021 - but with a little creativity and the help of technology - we can have some virtual or socially distant Ladies Escapes and Children’s activities. Book Club has already selected books for the fall months, so they are well on their way.
 
With many of our in-person fundraiser family events on hold, we will also be putting our heads together to still involve the community while raising funds for the HNN Grant Fund, which gives back to town and community organizations like the Public Library, Parks & Recreation, Community Farm, Holliston Police and Holliston Fire, to name a few of our previous recipients. Of course, you can always contribute directly to the HNN Community Grant Fund here at https://hollistonnewcomers.org/Donate or mail a check to  Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors, PO Box 6586, Holliston MA 10746 (identify it is for the Grant Fund).
 
With it being so hard to get out and meet people these days, HNN is a great way to connect with your neighbors and the community. Look for announcements in the newsletters, on Facebook, and in your inbox for future HNN events. Plus, if you would like to be more involved, check out our fundraising, civic, and member activities here at https://hollistonnewcomers.org/HNN-Board-Members or email hnnexecutiveboard@gmail.com.
 
We look forward to our new year of fun!

Debbie
President
Debbie Colburn   president.hnn@gmail.com

Looking for fun ways to keep kids connected these days. If you have any thoughts, requests or ideas, please let me know! We can all work together to share resources of what things our kids having been loving playing with or watching/doing during these past few months at home. Keeping them happy and busy is key!

Any favorite games or toys? Shoot me an email with the name (maybe Amazon link?) and age group, and maybe we can help each other keep busy and give good recommendations for new things to change it up at home!
 
Stay healthy and safe everyone!

Julie
Children's Activities Chair
Julianne Catlin   juliannecatlin@gmail.com

We will meet up, catch up, and discuss this month’s book, The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett. Please BYO beverage and snacks, and join us on Zoom! Registration will be required in order to receive the meeting link.
 
At our initial meeting, we will populate a list of future reads, so please bring your book ideas from your own wish list, or perhaps titles others’ have recommended. We would also like to fine-tune a regular meeting day, as Tuesdays present a conflict for some. So let’s see if another day of the week will work. Co-chairs Cindy and Sue welcome your ideas and are happy to answer any questions returning or new members may have. Reach us at the emails below.
 
Multiple copies of the book have been requested for reservation at the Holliston library and, hopefully, they will be able to obtain some for us. You can also reserve directly from your own Minuteman library account online or using one of their apps. Check out hollistonlibrary.org for instructions on using the Minuteman network to place book reservations and to borrow digital and audio versions.  While there, find instructions for expanding your online borrowing options by creating a Boston Public Library account. 


"At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. Cyril's son Danny and his older sister Maeve are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another.”

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

As summer approaches and there are just a few virtual events in June, HNN’s year of activities comes to a close.  We started off with a bang last fall helping our community through Thanksgiving Baskets and Thanksgiving Senior Meals, while the community also had some fun with our Great Pumpkin Trail Walk and Gingerbread House Decorating Party. Unfortunately due to COVID-19, two of our traditional fundraisers, Princess & Superhero Party scheduled for April and Touch-A-Truck scheduled for June, had to be canceled. This was not only sad that our community missed out on attending these fun events, but this also meant that the HNN Community Grant Fund would be missing out as well. But with a little planning and a lot of support from our local businesses, HNN introduced a new online fundraiser - A Prize A Day for the Month of May. Thanks to Beth Ng. Pamela Pinter Parsons and Bo Yai, who joined me in pulling this new fundraiser together!

The HNN membership social calendar had some adjusting to do as well. After a series of fun get-togethers in the fall, HNN went virtual.  We ‘Zoom’d’ to our monthly board meetings, Book Club get-togethers, Ladies ‘Night In’ social, and a Saturday morning children’s playdate. Thank goodness for technology!

We look back on this year of ups and downs knowing that with some adjustments - and a bit of creativity - HNN was still able to accomplish our mission of giving back and bringing people together. I want to thank the Executive Board and all our committee members who helped to make that possible.

HNN will be ramping back up in the fall; until then we hope the summer brings you a lot of fun in the sun!

Debbie
President
Debbie Colburn   president.hnn@gmail.com

Please join the Ladies of HNN for a virtual get together on Saturday, June 6, 2020 at 8:00 pm.  Just send us an email, and we'll reply before June 5th with the Zoom link to join!  (And feel free to join us any time between 8 and 8:30 pm. based on your schedule.) Grab a glass of wine, a hot cup of tea, or a bowl of ice cream and snuggle down for a chat with friends.  Please come with a favorite activity, recipe, drink, book or whatever has brought you joy or peace while at home, to share with the group. 

We look forward to seeing you!

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

This month we will venture into the suspense/mystery genre.  Please save the date for our next meeting on Tuesday, June 16 at 7:30 pm when we will again meet up, catch up, and discuss this month’s book, The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica. While this will most likely be another virtual meeting, please follow the book club’s Facebook page for any changes or updates.  Hope you will have time to read this thriller and join us for the final meeting of the year. 
 
Thanks to Christel for this month’s reading suggestion. As we look ahead to September, it is time to start building our reading list for next year.  If you have a title that you’d like to suggest, please let us know by commenting on Facebook or emailing the co-chairs. 
 
The Holliston library has expanded its lending options and with advanced planning, you may be able to get a copy of this book. In addition, digital access to collections is readily available.  Remember to allow extra time to request titles, as there may be a wait.  Check out hollistonlibrary.org for details.


Sadie and Will Foust have only just moved their family from bustling Chicago to small-town Maine when their neighbor, Morgan Baines, is found dead in her home.  The murder rocks their tiny coastal island, but no one is more shaken than Sadie. But it's not just Morgan's death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose, if the truth ever comes to light.

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

The elections were held online from May 15th to May 18th, and we are happy to report that we had a very good turnout this year! Thank you to all who took time to vote!
 
It is our pleasure to introduce you to the 2020-2021 Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors' Executive Board:
 
President: Debbie Colburn
First  Vice-President: Julianne Catlin
Treasurer: Mareourn Bo Yai
Corresponding Secretary: Beth Welch
Recording Secretary: Beth Ng
 
The position of Second Vice-President currently remains open, as we had no candidate.  It is not too late to express interest in the position! The Second Vice-President’s role is essentially to maintain the membership list, to collect dues and to work with the Welcome Committee to reach out to potential new members. It is a fun position, and the work can be done on your own time. If it is something you would like to do or if you would like more information, please contact us!
 
Take care and stay healthy!

The Nominating Committee,
Katrine Giroux
John Keogh
Roan Miles
Jennifer Mott

I hope this Newsletter finds you all well and enjoying the coming of Spring. It’s been great seeing some of you in our virtual HNN meetings. A big thanks to those members who have worked to organize these.  Looking forward to ‘seeing’ more of you in the future!
 
Some good news is that the Community Investment Committee selected and distributed the 2019 Community Grant Funds to six deserving town organizations.  Some not so good news is that we may not be able to help as many organizations next year as we have had to postpone our second and biggest fundraiser - Touch-A-Truck.  We hope we will be bringing our community together and raising funds with our fall & holiday events but for now we hope people are enjoying our ‘A PRIZE A DAY FOR THE MONTH OF MAY’ fundraiser.
 
I would like to close with again thanking those in the membership who are part of the ‘essential’ workers who are taking care of us and those around us.  Know that we appreciate your efforts and dedication. And to everyone - stay healthy, enjoy your family and we look forward to seeing you around town in the not too distant future.

Debbie
President
Debbie Colburn   president.hnn@gmail.com

Join us Saturday, May 9 at 10:00 am via Zoom to say hi to your HNN friends virtually. Each child can bring a toy to share with the group or a fun art project to show off.

We will have a song to share together for some added fun!
Please email me if you are interested, and I will send you the invite!

Hope to see you all soon.

Julie
Children's Activities Chair
Julianne Catlin Juliannecatlin@gmail.com