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The monthly meeting of the Inglenook Book Club was May 10, 202, at Lakeside Senior Living Community in McKenzie, with 18 members in attendance. President Carolyn Moore called the meeting to order and extended a thank-you to hostesses Geneva Johnson and Shirley Martin. The ladies graciously served delicious warm peach cobbler topped with ice cream, assorted nut medley, and assorted beverages. The tables were decorated with tulip-designed napkins, and little spring baskets holding the assorted nut medley.
All recited the Pledge of Allegiance, Club Aim, and Motto. There are no birthdays for May, but our April birthday lady Pedie Pedersen, who wasn’t present for the April meeting, was extended a birthday wish, and all joined together to sing Happy Birthday to her. President Moore called for the roll and the reading of the April minutes, which had one clarification change, which was noted and corrected, with the minutes being approved. Treasurer Donna Ward was absent, so Shirley Martin gave the Treasurer’s Report, which was approved as read.
Our prayers and sympathies are extended to the husband and family, of one of our book club members, who recently died. President Moore mentioned it was a beautiful service and many members were present to extend condolences and support to the family. Sunshine Chair, Elaine Williams, sent cards to those who are ill, recuperating, and needing prayer. Membership Chair Suzanne Howell was not present for the meeting; no update was given. Telephone Chair Victoria Ard, was thanked for all her calling to remind each member of the meeting date and items to bring.
In unfinished business, President Moore thanked everyone for the donations of school supplies given for the April meeting that were taken to the school. She again thanked everyone for all they do and continue to do.
There was no new business, so President Moore called upon Gail Mack, who presented her program to us on author Jan Karon. Karon who is 87, was born Janice Meredith Wilson on March 14, 1937, in the foothills of North Carolina, in Lenoir. She was named after the title of a popular novel, Janice Meredith. Jan Karon quoted “At the age of 10, I wrote my first novel. The news that I would become an author was given to me as a kind of epiphany. I recall where I was standing and how I felt when this stunning forecast was made known, rather quietly, to my heart.” Being an avid reader since the age of 5, and both reading and seeing the movie “Gone with the Wind”. Karon’s grandfather didn’t believe in the dubious influence of books upon the innocent minds of children. In the life of a shy and dangerously curious country child, imagine the impact of those two fierce works, (the reading and seeing the movie). Karon stated “I say ‘dangerous’ because I was told with authority that ‘curiosity killed the cat’ and I expected to die several times during any given day.”
The thrilling phase of her writing career came to a bitter, but ultimately satisfying end. Her manuscript was written on Blue Horse notebook paper, and was for good reason, hidden from her sister. But when found by the sister, she discovered the one curse word Karon had, with pounding heart, which included someone’s speech. Karon’s grandmother learned that the blue-lined pages contained the curse word famously used by Rhett Butler in the final scene of “Gone with the Wind.”(Hadn’t Rhett Butler used the same word and gotten away with it?) But with her grandmother’s good and proper thrashing, Karon said “it’s the one reason there is no cussin’ in any of my work.”
There were times when she had no clue about why she was born. She really wanted to discover that answer. She couldn’t bear the dark knowing she might perish without learning what she was born to do. “I whined a lot to the one I perceived as a distant and disinterested God. Karon’s grandmother was a believer; she read the Bible to her sister and her, they prayed at mealtime, went to church with Shirley Temple bows in their hair, put pennies in the offering plate, and got occasional gold stars in Sunday school.
Submitted by Recording Secretary, Beverly Mueller