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.
- Members Only (Password Required)
General Calendar
(by Days of Week)
Monday
2nd. & 4th. Mon Mah Jongg (Experienced Players Group)
3rd. Mon. Soup Kitchen (TBD)
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 (TBD)
4th. Tues. 3 Daytime Book Discussion Groups (12:30 or 1:00PM)
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- The BOOKMARKS Book Discussion Group
- FEED N’ READ Book Discussion Group
- MS. PRINTS Book Discussion Group
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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
ACTIVITIES
Event Calendar
INTEREST GROUPS
Bridge Group 
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 Groups
“Twin Cinema” Group meets the 1st Tuesday of each month (at 1:00 PM) at the homes of group members or on Zoom (at 7:00 PM). An email is sent out each month with the movie selection and venue for meeting. Participants watch the movie prior to the meeting date, and meet to discuss it. For in-person meetings, generally only group members attend. If room allows, the host may allow a non-member to attend, if the non-member contacts them. Refreshments are provided by the host and group members. When meetings are held on Zoom, all Branch Members are invited to participate.
The movies are selected by members of the group. Recommended movies are 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 Cinema Group is no longer meeting.
Great Decisions
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
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
(2022-2023)
BOOKS N’ MORE BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Usually meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month (Dates & Times vary)
September TBD – The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie
Post by Allison Pataki
THE BOOKMARKS BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Usually Meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 1:00 PM
September 20 – The Plot by Jake Bonner
October 25 – Paper Palace by Miranda Crowley Heller
FEED N’ READ BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Usually meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 12:30 PM
September 20 – The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
& Victoria Murray
October 25 – Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang
MS. PRINTS BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
Usually meets on the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 1:00 PM
September 20 – The Personal Librarian by Marie
Benedict & Victoria Murray
October 25 – The Dog I Loved by Susan Wilson
Wednesday Afternoon Book Discussion Group
Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, at 1:30 PM
September 14 – The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
October 12 – Women in White Coats by Olivia Campbell
Lunch Bunch 
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 (2nd. and 4th. Mondays). We are currently not taking new permanent members. Our Mah Jongg group is looking to add ladies to our “sub list” for experienced players.
New Beginners Group Starting Soon!
Pot Luck Dinner (On Hold)
Potluck Dinner at Members’ homes during month of February (Replaces February Branch Meeting)
Recognition Dinner 
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 Group
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) 
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:
- Brandywine River Art Museum Chadds Ford, PA
- Bryn Athyn, PA Historic District
- Cedar Lane Alpaca Farm and The Chapter House for lunch , Howell NJ
- Center for Holocaust, Human Rights, and Genocide Education (Chhange) at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ
- Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown, NJ
- Duke Farms in Hillsborough, NJ
- Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA
- Freehold Museum & Library In Freehold, NJ
- George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ (A trip to see Venus in Fur)
- Great Falls National Historic Park & Paterson Museum
- Grounds for Sculpture, in Hamilton, NJ
- Hindu Temple the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Robinsville, NJ & Mastori’s Diner, Bordentown, NJ
- GUILD OF CREATIVE ART in Shrewsbury, NJ
- Hunterdon Hills Playhouse in Union Township, NJ
- Info Age Museum at Camp Evans in Wall Twp, NJ
- Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County
- Lyndhurst Mansion (The Jay Gould Estate) & Washington Irving’s Sunnyside Estate
- Montclair Art Museum and Leone’s Restaurant
- Monmouth County Agriculture Building (Kosloski Rd, Freehold)
- The Monmouth County Historical Association, Marpit Hall and the Taylor-Butler Housel Middletown, NJ
- Morris Aboretum in Philadelphia, PA
- Morris Museum and The Thirsty Turtle
- Nemours Mansion & Gardens Wilmington, DE
- New Jersey Audubon’s Society’s Plainsboro Preserve
- NY Botanical Gardens and lunch at Antonio’s Trattoria
- Pearl S. Buck House in Perkasie, PA
- Pine Barrens Native Fruits, and lunch at the Plumstead Grill
- The Proprietary House, in Perth Amboy, NJ and lunch at The Barge
- Roebling Museum in Roebling, NJ
- Rutherford Hall in Allamuchy, NJ
- The Seeing Eye Institute in Morristown, NJ
- Spirit of NJ lunch cruise from Weehawken, NJ
- Spring Lake Historical Society Spring Lake, New Jersey
- Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms and lunch at Lemongrass Viet-Thai Restaurant
- Tenement Museum in NYC
- Twin Lights Lighthouse, Bahrs & Monmouth County 9/11 Memorial located at Mt. Mitchell
- Tuckerton Seaport in Tuckerton.
- Vanderbilt Museum Centerport, New York
- NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial & NJ Vietnam Era Museum
- Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center and Old Oarhouse Irish Pub
- Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, Delaware
- Zimmerli Art Museum in New Brunswick, NJ
- Virtual Trips
- Trip to the Township of Ocean Museum (Woolley House) and the Alice Paul House in Mt. Laurel (July, 2020)
- Trip to Philadelphia Barnes Foundation (Museum) (August, 2020)
- Tennessee – Tour of Sun Records Recording Studio – Birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll! (September, 2020)
- Trip to Grand Central Terminal (October, 2020)
- Trip to National Parks in Pennsylvania (November, 2020)
- Trip to the Tenement Museum (January, 2021)
- Underground Railroad: “Black Folk Helping Black Folk” (February 18, 2021)
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- Digital Story: Secrets and Codes of the Underground Railroad (6:33 minutes)
- The Underground Railroad – National Underground Freedom Center (7:22 minutes)
- William Still – Father of the Underground Railroad (10:08 minutes)
- A Tour of the Underground Railroad – Georgia Stories (7:40 minutes)
- Safe House: The Underground Railroad in Fall River (19:20 minutes)
- Dawn of Day: Stories from the Underground Railroad (53 minutes)
- Trip to the Guild of Creative Art – Shrewsbury, NJ (March 17 & 18, 2021)
- Trip to Longwood Gardens – Kenneth Square, PA (April 21, 2021)
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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!