New participants are warmly welcomed at all HNC Book Club gatherings.  Please come join us!
 

• March 19, 7:30 pm Book Club will meet at Pamela’s house for a lively discussion of An American Marriage by Tayari Jones.  Thank you Pamela for the great suggestion and for hosting this month!

 
Due to the popularity of this title, we were not able to place a group hold for Book Club members. However, individual copies of An American Marriage are readily obtained through the Minuteman Library Network book request system.
 
We would love to have some new host locations for the April, May and June meetings.   If you are interested, please let us know. Members are reminded that Book Club has its own Facebook page where you can stay up to date with current happenings.  Any questions?  Reach us through Facebook or at the emails listed below. 
 
About our March selection:


 Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn't commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy's time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. This stirring love story is a profoundly insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control. An American Marriage is a masterpiece of storytelling, an intimate look deep into the souls of people who must reckon with the past while moving forward--with hope and pain--into the future.

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

 
 
I am so excited to announce that we are continuing our partnership with the Holliston Pantry Shelf to support them with Easter Basket collection.
 
I will be receiving the list of sign-ups for the Easter Baskets by March 30, 2019.
 
How it works:
 
Families sign up with the Holliston Pantry Shelf and provide the child's gender, age and some ideas of what the child likes or specific interests.
 
You will let me know if you would like to participate in making a $25 - $30 Easter basket or donating a $25 gift card. Additional details for drop off will follow, which will take place around April 14th.
 
We are also continuing our partnership with Fiske's in Holliston. You will be able to pick your basket at the store, get 20% off items and they will put your basket together!
 
Ages 0-3 get a $25 gift card to Target
 
Ages 4-13 get a $25 - $30 Easter Basket
 
Ages 14-18 get a $25 gift card to Target or Fiske’s
 
If you already know that you would like to participate, you can email me (melissa.a.cloutier@gmail.com) the following information, and I will follow up with you once I get the list:

• Your name and best way to contact you
• Number of Easter Baskets you would like to donate
• If you prefer to donate a $25 gift card

Please let me know if you have any questions & thank you for your support!
 
Melissa
Easter Baskets Chair
Melissa Marien melissa.a.cloutier@gmail.com
  

Join us March 10th for a Clothing Swap from 2:00-4:00 pm in Holliston!
 
Feel free to bring quality men's, women's and children's clothing to swap.
 
We'll enjoy beverages and snacks while we mingle and swap!  After the Swap, whatever clothing remains, we'll be happy to donate.
 
Please RSVP to juliannecatlin@gmail.com for the host's address.

 Thank you!

Julianne, Jennifer and Timea
Ladies Escapes C0-Chairs
Julianne Catlin   juliannecatlin@gmail.com
Jennifer Mott hncladiesescape@gmail.com
Timea Kovacs timusch@yahoo.com
 

Let’s come together for some bowling fun on St. Patty’s Day, Sunday March 17 at 10:30 am at Ryan Family Amusement in Millis on Rt. 109. The cost is $5 per person, $20 family max for the lanes, and each person will be responsible for renting their own shoes.
 
I will need to know how many lanes to book, so please RSVP with how many will be bowling to the Facebook event or via email to juliannecatlin@gmail.com.
 
Can’t wait!

Julianne
Children’s Activities Chair
Julianne Catlin   juliannecatlin@gmail.com
 

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, dozens of items have been donated for auction and raffle that will ultimately support the charitable, civic, educational and recreational events and activities that Holliston Newcomers Club members hold dear.
 
A professional DJ and Emcee create an evening of high-energy entertainment and laughs for everyone to enjoy.
 
Guests play bingo set to Rock and Roll music, while they bid on auction items and cheer each other on as people sing and dance at their tables.
 

Please purchase your Bingo event ticket(s) by visiting http://www.hollistonnewcomers.org/home/rock-and-roll-bingo
 
We hope to see you there!
 
Kind regards,
 

Robin and Tracey
Rock and Roll BINGO Co-Chairs
Robin Bowman   robin.bowman555@gmail.com
Tracey Geden   traceybc93@yahoo.com
  

A goal of the the Holliston Newcomers Club is to give back to our community. One of the ways this is accomplished is in the form of grants. Grant money is raised during the various fundraising activities held throughout the year. The 2018 fundraising events that contributed to the 2019 Grant fund were Princess & Superhero Party, Touch-A-Truck, The Great Pumpkin Trail, and Gingerbread House Decorating. 
 
The Community Investments Committee publishes the availability of the grants, collects and reviews grant requests, and proposes the distribution of the grant fund.  Participation on the committee is defined in the by-laws. This year the committee members are Christel DiPippo (HNC President), Robin Bowman (Fundraising Chair), Beth Welch (member >5 years), Sue Hatton (member <2 years), and myself (member at-large and chair).
 
The grant criteria and application were approved at the January General meeting and published to the community through The Holliston Reporter and Holliston Facebook pages. The committee is currently reviewing those submissions and will present the requests and the committee’s proposal for approval at the March General Meeting scheduled on Wednesday, March 27th at 7:30 pm.  This is the membership’s opportunity to give input into this important process.
 
The Community Investments Committee can also be reached via email at HNCCommunityInvestments@gmail.com.

Debbie 
Community Investments Chair
Debbie Colburn 2ndVP.HollistonNewcomers@gmail.com
   

As Holliston Newcomers Club’s Fundraising Chair, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for our corporate sponsors:

• Gold Sponsor:  Harelick Dental
• Bronze Sponsor:  Bloom Center for Aesthetic Dentistry

We are delighted that they have made a commitment to Newcomers and the community in 2019 and welcome other local businesses to do the same. We are a volunteer-run organization and the support of generous individuals and businesses is what keeps us going.

To learn about the different levels of corporate sponsorship, please click on http://www.hollistonnewcomers.org/sponsors.
 
Robin
Fundraising Chair
Robin Bowman   robin.bowman555@gmail.com
  

The Holliston Newcomers Club will organize and arrange a meal to be delivered to new parents. Please let me know if you or another club member are expecting! We are happy to do this and will be respectful of time and meal preferences, special diets and food allergies.

Please feel free to contact me by email with any questions.

Cindy
Corresponding Secretary
Cindy Carr   carr.cynthiad@gmail.com
  

Remind your newcomer friends that if they have not been receiving their newsletter - they need to renew!  And if you know of a past president who wants to reconnect - send me their name & email.  We’ve had a lot of great member-only events so far this year, so make sure your friends don’t miss out on what’s coming up  - send them this newsletter so they can see what’s happening - they can join anytime!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new members who have recently joined:

        Jeffrey & Jessica Ricker
     
Debbie 
Second Vice President
Debbie Colburn 2ndVP.HollistonNewcomers@gmail.com
  

March will be a busy month for the Newcomers Club! We will be holding a Special Meeting on March 6th at 7:30 pm at the Holliston Historical Society located at 547 Washington Street.  The purpose of the Special Meeting is to discuss and vote on the rebranding of our club. Then on March 27th, also at 7:30 pm, we will have a General Meeting during which we will review the grant proposals prepared by our Community Investment Committee. This meeting is a great way to learn about all the amazing projects the Club funds in our community. All members are invited and strongly encouraged to attend both events!
 
Kindly RSVP to katrinegioux@gmail.com if you plan on attending a meeting and let me know if you wish to have any discussion item added to the agenda.
 
Thank you!

Katrine
First Vice President
Katrine Giroux katrinegiroux@gmail.com