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

Hope everyone had a great holiday season and a Happy New Year!

December was filled with HNN events. The Gingerbread House Decorating Fundraiser was great fun, plus our members enjoyed a couple of social get-togethers starting with a Dinner Club of appetizers for dinner and followed by a Ladies Holiday Escape, where we enjoyed a Shop Local Yankee Swap. And many member families had a very special Visit from Santa. Thanks to all our committee members and member volunteers! Great job everyone!

All of these events can’t happen without members stepping up to volunteer on the committees. The Princess and Superhero Party committee is looking for one more member, and we still need a coordinator for the Easter Basket Project for the Food Pantry. And I’ve begun investigating another possible fundraiser - a Month of Prizes! We do have a couple of people for the committee, but since this is a  new venture, if anyone else is interested - send me an email.

We have a couple of people interested in the Touch-A-Truck committee - our largest  fundraiser. But this event cannot be held without a full committee (5-8 co-chairs). Touch-a-Truck volunteer responsibilities can be separated into four areas - Volunteer Truck Reservations, Food Truck Reservations, Event Publicity, and Day of Event Coordination. We are holding an informational meeting for anyone who is interested but wants to know more about what is entailed before they make a commitment. This meeting will be on Monday, January 20 at 7:30 pm. Email committee.newcomers@gmail.com, and location details will be emailed to you. Remember - all family members are able to volunteer on our committees and at our events.

Hope to hear from you!

Debbie
President
Debbie Colburn   president.hnn@gmail.com

We wish to thank everyone who joined us for our Appetizers for Dinner event in December! A special thank you to Katrine Giroux and Mark Fynes for hosting us in their beautiful home. The food was plentiful and delicious, and we're glad so many members could join us for a wonderful evening.
 
We are in the process of selecting dates for spring events, so please stay tuned! The next Dinner Club theme will be Breakfast for Dinner, which is always a fun night! As always, we are looking for someone to host - if you are interested, please contact Beth and/or Erica. The committee will provide you with disposable dinnerware and setup and cleanup help!
 
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
Beth and Erica
Dinner Club Co-Chairs
Beth Welch   edwma46@gmail.com
Erica Long   erilouboston@gmail.com