Riverside Book Club turns 90

By Mo Cranker on September 17, 2018.

mcranker@medicinehatnews.com @MHNmocranker

The Riverside Book Club is reaching yet another important milestone.

At the end of the month the club will be turning 90 years old, making it the oldest book club in the city and one of the oldest in the province.

“We’re celebrating our 90th anniversary at the end of the month and we’ve got Sharon Butala coming to out as a guest author to speak at the library,” said 10-year member Joanie Gilchrist. “We’re having her here in conjunction with the Medicine Hat Public Library and the college.

“The next day we’re having an event with Sharon for just present and past members where she will come and talk to us.”

The club meets once every month, on the third Wednesday, and reads 24 books over the course of the year. Unlike most other book clubs, the Riverside club does not read the same material at the same time — it’s things like this that keep the club fresh, says 30-year member Sharon Samcoe.

“Our club is very structured — and if you’re in the club it’s probably something you like,” she said. “We meet on the third Wednesday of every month and that never changes.

“We have 24 members, and all of us speak briefly on different topics before each meeting starts — we always look forward to the meetings.”

The club’s first ever meeting was Sept. 19 1928 and the third Wednesday of this month also falls on Sept. 19. Fifteen-year club member Judy Vizbar says being in a club keeps reading fresh.

“With 24 people, there’s a lot of different tastes,” she said. “The great thing is that it always keeps you reading new things, often they aren’t things you wouldn’t normally be picking up but you’re still reading new things constantly.

“Even if something isn’t a book you necessarily enjoy, it’s often worth reading and discussing.”

For more information on the author talk go to tourismmedicinehat.com

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