Our May 28 book will be The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede. When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers.
The people of Gander were asked to aid and care for these distraught travelers, as well as for thousands more, and their response was truly extraordinary. Oz Fudge, the town constable, searched all over Gander for a flight-crew member so that he could give her a hug as a favor to her sister, a fellow law enforcement officer who managed to reach him by phone. Eithne Smith, an elementary-school teacher, helped the passengers staying at her school put together letters to family members all over the world, which she then faxed. Bonnie Harris, Vi Tucker, and Linda Humby, members of a local animal protection agency, crawled into the jets’ cargo holds to feed and care for all of the animals on the flights. Hundreds of people put their names on a list to take passengers into their homes and give them a chance to get cleaned up and relax.
The Day the World Came to Town is a positively heartwarming account of the citizens of Gander and its surrounding communities and the unexpected guests who were welcomed with exemplary kindness.
The June 25 book will be A Killer in King’s Cove by Iona Whishaw.
The Book Club meets on the fourth Tuesday evening of each month from 7:00 to 9:00 pm (except December) in the Lower Hall. Contact Brianna at [email protected] or 403-836-3626 for more information. Come and join in a lively discussion about a great book.
Watershed Author Visit
Many thanks to Brianna for organizing an informative and entertaining evening featuring Doreen Vanderstoop, author of Watershed. This is a timely novel for Alberta: in the novel, the glaciers are gone, there is a catastrophic drought, and farmers are threatened with ruin from the water shortages. Pipelines are being built to carry water and a disease not seen since the Dirty ‘30s is back along with dustbowls.
Although the novel is set in 2058, it is concerning to see some of these things happening today. The author began thinking of this story in 2010 after hearing reports of the impact climate change was having on farmers.
There are things you can do now to conserve water, in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, outdoors, and when you travel. Ideas are as simple as not running the water when you brush your teeth, wash your hands, and shave. For a full list, visit https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/make-every-drop-count-water-conservation-tips/?gad_source=1.
Many of the 20+ people in attendance enjoyed reading a novel set in and around Calgary, following the characters through our streets and roads.
Click here to the Mount Pleasant Community News home page for the latest Mount Pleasant community updates.
