Novel Adventures Book Club connecting community members
Nicole Donant-Moore, who coordinates FANS events, leads the discussion at the Novel Adventures Book Club.
There were conversations and smiles all around that never would have happened if not for a new book club that includes people with and without disabilities. The Novel Adventures Book Club is just one part of the Friends, Allies and Neighbors Network, a new program that aims to connect people to their community and is supported by the Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
The Novel Adventures Book Club meets monthly at Charmed: Gifts with Meaning in New Philadelphia. The group began meeting in March and perfectly meets one of the goals of FANS, which is to bring together people with and without disabilities so they can develop new friendships and enrich the community.
“It’s going really well even though we have just started,” said Nicole Donant-Moore, who coordinates the FANS activities. “The books are really good material and easy to read for everybody. At the first meeting I got ideas of what kind of genres people were into, and I found a website that dealt with high-interest, low-reading-ability literature. I drew from those books and choose the books I thought would be interesting for people.”
The money to purchase books for the club has been donated by members of the community to the FANS program for the first year.
At the May meeting club members discussed their first book, "The Ghosts of Largo Bay," by Evan Jacobs.
Book club member Alec Worth described the book as “interesting and suspenseful.”
“It was a good book; it passed,” said Larry Schweitzer of New Philadelphia, who found the book interesting and said he thought the book would make an excellent movie. Others attending agreed.
“Cast me as the mayor,” Schweitzer said. “I have a deep voice. We could turn it into an animated series instead of a full-length feature and make it something for children.”
The group also discussed the fact that it was strange that teenage girls were out running around in the middle of the night chasing ghosts. “There’s no parental supervision. And when do they get any homework done?” Donant-Moore said.
Everyone agreed the character they would most like to have dinner with was Abby McQuade, the main character, because she was a lot like Nancy Drew.
No one would choose to have dinner with any of the ghosts. “I wouldn’t know what to serve them,” Paula Worth said.
“Well, you serve them their favorite dish,” Schweitzer said, “ghoul-losh.”
The meeting went by quickly as the group discussed other questions, like their favorite moments in the book and what would they change about the book if they could.
Everyone was excited to receive the book for June, "Emoji of Doom," also by Evan Jacobs, which focuses on a young basketball player.
FANS offers a variety of ways for people who want to help people with disabilities have better lives. Information is distributed, usually by email, on how to help, and it’s up to members if and how often they help.
The first FANS Game Time was held on the evening of Saturday, May 12 and was a success. Those attending were able to choose from a variety of games with a giant Jenga game being the most popular.
The only drawback was the wet weather prevented some of the games from being moved outdoors to the northwest quadrant of the New Philadelphia square. Everyone, with or without disabilities, is invited to attend Game Time events. Future game nights are scheduled for the second Saturday of June, July and August from 6-8 p.m.
FANS also accepts donations of gift cards to restaurants, movies, sporting events and more to help provide an experience an individual might not otherwise be able to afford as a part of their Make a Memory Team. Other ways to help are still in development.
“I’m excited to see how it expands and progresses,” Donant-Moore said.
The next meeting of the Novel Adventures Book Club is scheduled for Wednesday, June 6 from 4-5 p.m. inside Charmed: Gifts with Meaning at 117 W. High Ave. in New Philadelphia.
For more information on FANS, the book club or to become a member, email Donant-Moore at fans@tuscbdd.org or call 330-339-3199.