Interest Groups & Activities

Our interest groups and activities enable our members to come together in social settings, to get to know each other on a more personal level, and to have fun doing things that interest them.

(Dates & Times – Subject to Change)

May 2022 (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

  • May 3: TWIN CINEMA” Cinema Group – 1 PM (Contacts: Shevi Salberg & Julie Warshawsky) 
  • (Contact Bonnie Gros)
  • May 10:  Lunch Bunch – 12:30 PM at Anemos Greek Restaurant (Contact: Eliza Baird)
  • May 11 : Wednesday Afternoon Book Discussion Group (Contact: Eileen VandeBunte)
  • May 14:  Branch Meeting
  • May 18: Trip to Sea Girt National Guard and Military Museum &  Lunch at Huddy’s Inn (Contact: Vivian Tedrow)
  • May 24: “BOOKMARKS” DAYTIME BOOK DISCUSSION – 1 PM (Contact: Maxine Markowitz)
  • May 24: “FEED N’ READ” DAYTIME BOOK DISCUSSION – 12:30 PM (Contact: Sheila Menendez) 
  • May 24: “MS. PRINTS” DAYTIME BOOK DISCUSSION – 1 PM (Contact: Chris Dasaro) 
  • May 26: “Books N More Discussion Group – 7:30 pm Zoom (Contact Bonnie Gros)

June  2022 (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

  • June 7: TWIN CINEMA” Cinema Group – 1 PM (Contact: Shevi Salberg & Julie Warshawsky)
  • June 9:  Picnic
  • June 14: Lunch Bunch – 12:30 PM at Oriental Pan Asian – (Contact: Eliza Baird) 
  • June 15: Wednesday Afternoon Book Discussion Group (Contact: Eileen VandeBunte)
  • June 21: “BOOKMARKS” DAYTIME BOOK DISCUSSION – 1 PM (Contact: Maxine Markowitz) June 21: “FEED N’ READ” DAYTIME BOOK DISCUSSION – 12:30 PM (Contact: Sheila Menendez)
  • June TBA: “MS. PRINTS” DAYTIME BOOK DISCUSSION – 1 PM (Contact: Chris Dasaro)
  • June 16, 18-21: Set up for Book Sale
  • June 22-25:  Book Sale
  • June 25, 27: Clean Up after Book Sale

General Calendar

(by Days of Week)

Monday        

       3rd. Mon.  Soup Kitchen (10:30 AM – 1:30 PM) (November to March)

Tuesday

      Every Tues.      Book Sort (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM) – (October to June) 

      1st. Tues.         Cinema Groups (1:00 PM) (or other dates announced)

      2nd. Tues.        Lunch Bunch (12:30 PM) (September to June)

      3rd. or 4th. Tues.   Great Decisions (12:30 PM)

       4th. Tues.      3 Daytime Book Discussion Groups (12:30 or 1:00PM)

                • The BOOKMARKS Book Discussion Group
                • FEED N’ READ Book Discussion Group
                • MS. PRINTS Book Discussion Group

Wednesday    

     2nd Wed.       Wednesday Afternoon Book Discussion Group (1:30 PM) 

     3rd. Wed.       Books N More Book Discussion Group (other dates/times)

Cultural Affairs (Trips & Treks) (other dates /times announced)

Thursday  

    Every Thurs.       Book Sort – 10:00 am – 12:00 PM (Apr. – Jun.)

Canasta Group – 12:30

                                  Bridge Group – 1:00 – 3:00 PM

    2nd or 3rd Thurs.     Branch Meetings (at location announced or on Zoom) – In-Person Branch meetings: 7:00 PM Snack & Chat, 7:30 PM Meeting start (Sometimes meet in afternoon); Zoom: 7:15 Log in, 7:30 Meeting Start

Members (Only) – Password Required: 

See Board & Committees (Members Only) page for links to all members only pages

 See Officers & Committees (Members Only) page for Interest Group and Activities Contacts. 

See Trips & Treks – Upcoming (Members Only)

See Trips & Treks – Past (Members Only)

Please see the emails from our Branch Google Group for most recent information for our interest groups and activities!

ACTIVITIES

monmouth-arts

Event Calendar

Bridge Group                               tn-lg-bridge                                                               

This group meets on Thursdays 1:00 to 4:00 PM (year-round).

Canasta Group                                                                                                          

This group meets at members’ homes on Thursday Afternoons at 12:30 PM.  At present, we are not accepting new members.

Cinema Groupscinema

“Twin Cinema” Group meets the 1st Tuesday of each month at 1:00 PM at the homes of group members.  Participants watch the movie prior to the meeting date, and meet to discuss it.  Members bring their lunch.  Refreshments are provided by the host and group members.  Occasionally, members choose to hold the meetings via Zoom, rather than in-person.  When meetings are held on Zoom, all Branch Members are invited to participate.

The movies are selected by members of the group for each quarter of the year, through a voting process.  Movies are recommended by Members of the group, and researched, regarding availability and cost.  Some of the chosen movies are foreign films, which have received Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Sun Dance Festival Awards, etc. or nominations for various categories.

The Afternoon Movie Delights group is no longer meeting.

Great Decisions

world

Great Decisions is a foreign policy discussion group sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association. Participants purchase and read a Great Decisions paperback book containing information about eight topics on world issues. The Group usually meets the 3rd or 4th Tuesday of the month, at 12:30 PM, after Book Sort, to discuss one of the topics.  All are welcome to participate. 

Literature Groups 

books

There are three discussion groups that typically meet on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 12:30 PM,  one that meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month, at 1:30, and one that meets the 3rd Friday of each month, at 11:15 AM.  Meeting dates and times sometime change, as needed.

Normally,  participants meet at members’ home and  bring their lunch. Refreshments are provided by the hostess. Selections for the year, voted on from members’ suggestions, are made at the May meetings.  Due to COVID-19, members are now meeting via Zoom.  Chairs  send out specifics to their group members and dates and time for the meetings, prior to each meeting.

Note: No Meetings in December

(2021-2022)

BOOKS N’ MORE BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Usually meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (Dates & Times vary)

  • July 21, 2021 – The First Mrs. Rothchild by Sara Aharoni (7:30 PM)
  • September 29, 2021 – The Personal Librarian By Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray (7:30 PM)
  • October 26, 2021 – The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys (7:30 PM)
  • January 5, 2022 – Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
  • February 1, 2022 – The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
  • March 2, 2022 – Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland (7:30 PM)
  • April 7, 2022 – Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristina Harmel (7:30 PM)
  • May 26, 2022 – West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge (7:30 pm) – Zoom

THE BOOKMARKS BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 1:00 PM

  • July 27, 2021 – This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
  • August 24, 2021 –  An American Marriage by Tayari Jones
  • September 28 – The Stationary Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
  • October 26, 2022 – The Last Bookshop In London by Madeline Martin   
  • November 23, 2022 – The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner    
  • January 25, 2022 – The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet
  • February 22, 2022 – Lunch out
  • March 22, 2022 – Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
  • April 22, 2022 – Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger 
  • May 24, 2022 – Planning Meeting      
  • June, 2022 – TBD        

FEED N’ READ BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 12:30 PM 

  • July 27, 2021 – Meeting
  • August 24, 2021 – Meeting
  • September 28, 2021 – Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
  • October 26, 2021 – Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
  • November 23, 2021 –  The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel
  • January 25, 2022 –   Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland
  • February 22, 2022 –  Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
  • March 22. 2022 – The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray
  • April 26, 2022 –  Something Beautiful Happened by Yvette Manessis Corporan
  • May 24, 2022   – Planning Meeting
  • June, 2022 – TBD

MS. PRINTS BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 1:00 PM 

  • July 27, 2021 –  The Cousins by Karen McManus
  • September 14, 2021 – The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett                   
  • October 26, 2021 – The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate        
  • November 23 or 30 –  Waking Lions by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen             
  • January 25, 2022 –  The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eva Eger 
  • February 22, 2022 – Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes           
  • March 22, 2022 –  Between You and Me by Susan Wiggs         
  • April 26, 2022 – The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
  • May 24, 2022 – Planning Meeting
  • June, 2022 – TBD

Wednesday Afternoon Book Discussion Group

Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, at 1:30 PM

  • September 8, 2021 – The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline
  • October 13 –  The Women with Silver Wings by Catherine Sharp Landdeck
  • November 10, 2021 – The Book of Lost Friends by Liza Wingate
  • January 12, 2022 – Movie – Nomadland
  • February 9, 2022 – Have You Seen Luis Velez by Catherine Ryan Hyde
  • March 9, 2022 – The Only Woman in the Room by Mary Benedict
  • April 13, 2022 – There There by Tommy Orange
  • May, 2022 – TBD
  • June, 2022 – TBD

2020-2021 Book Groups

2019-2020 Book Groups

2018-2019 Book Groups

2017-2018 Book Groups

2016-2017 Book Groups

2015-2016 Books

Lunch Bunch plate

This group meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 12:30 p.m., for a casual meal in an area restaurant.

Mah Jongg           

This group meets twice a month on Monday afternoons. We are currently not taking new  permanent members. Our Mah Jongg group is looking to add ladies to our “sub list” for experienced players.

church.potluck.06Pot Luck Dinner (On Hold)

Potluck Dinner at Members’ homes during month of February (Replaces February Branch Meeting)

Recognition Dinner global-employee-recognition 

The Recognition Dinner, which is held in the month of June, has been an annual event for many years.  It is an evening to socialize with those we see all the time and those we don’t get a chance to visit with very often. We always have a very enjoyable evening and are glad that many of our members were able to join us.

Travel Information Group2141239_travel

The purpose of the Travel Information Group is to explore as many different types of travel and travel experiences as possible.  The group calls on our widely traveled membership to volunteer to speak about a travel destination, share experiences, pictures, planning, modes of travel, etc.  Meetings are informal, yet informative. The group meets at a member’s home, afternoons (1:30 PM), four times per year (in October & November, April & May) – Dates are announced in Newsletter.

Trips and Treks (Cultural Affairs)                                                              Capture_Trips & Treks

Each month trips are planned to various locations in NY and NJ, where we take docent-led tours of museums and other places of interest.  During winter months, instead of monthly trip: we participate in Ladies Afternoon at the Movies. Carpools are facilitated for those wishing to attend. Since COVID, a number of trips have been “virtual trips,” whereby, we visited locations virtually and met via Zoom to discuss our trips.

Some destinations we’ve visited are: