Book Club

The Mystery Book Club will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Savage library branch, 9525 Durness Lane. The group, which meets the second Wednesday of each month, will discuss A Season for the Dead by David Hewson. The library's Nonfiction Book Club, which meets the third Wednesday of each month, will discuss The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion at 7 p.m. Jan. 17. Information: 410-880-5980. Recreation council offers `Snow Show' The South Laurel Recreation Council will present a free performance of The Snow Show by Bob Brown Puppets, and a visit from Santa and his friends (Teddy Bear, Snowman, Panda Bear, Chipmunk and others)

The Glenwood library, 2350 Route 97, Cooksville, will sponsor a meeting of its contemporary-fiction book club at 7 p.m. tomorrow. Members will discuss Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. The Western Howard County Seniors Book Club, a group of retired women known for its lively discussions of contemporary fiction, will meet at the library at 10 a.m. Wednesday. The group will discuss The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. New members are always welcome. Registration is not required. Books are available at the branch.

Nancy McCord lived in Columbia for 27 years before she joined the Howard County Newcomers Club. She had moved to Columbia from upstate New York in 1978 but didn't meet many residents because her job was in Washington. "When you work long, crazy hours, you just can't get connected to the community," she said. She discovered the club about a year ago, after she retired. "I came, and I just loved it," she said. "The people are warm and friendly." Now she is president, and a good example of what makes this particular newcomers club unusual.

The Savage branch library's Nonfiction Book Club will discuss The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell, at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month. Copies of the book are available at the branch, and registration is not required. Information: 410-880-5980. Group plans lunch, bingo and bake sale The Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 8097, 7209 Montevideo Road, Jessup, will have bingo, lunch and a bake sale Sept. 24. Lunch will be served from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bingo will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the bake sale will go on until sold out. Information: 410-799-5868.

The Glenwood library, 2350 Route 97, Cooksville, will hold a meeting of its Mother-Daughter Book Club, for girls ages 11 to 17 and their mothers, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. July 12. The group will discuss Witch Child by Celia Rees. Registration is not required. Copies of the books are available at the branch. Information: 410-313-5577. Horse program plans open house Bridge of Light Healing LLC has begun a "Healing With Horses" program at Moon Rising Farm in Boyds. The program will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 15, rain or shine.

The Western Howard County Seniors Book Club, a group of retired women known for its lively discussions of contemporary fiction, will meet at 10 a.m. July 5 at the Glenwood library, 2350 Route 97, Cooksville. The group will discuss Miss Julia's School of Beauty, by Ann B. Ross. The group is open to new members. Copies of the books are available at the branch. Registration is not necessary. Information: 410-313-5577. New La Leche group to meet Aug. 9 La Leche League of Western Howard County, a support group for breastfeeding mothers, will meet 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of each month.

One way to tell that summer is on its way is to check out Rhonda Summey's reading list. The Upper Marlboro assistant school principal's book club reads a mix of fiction and nonfiction titles year round, but as the days grow longer, the book selections get less serious. The group sometimes throws a romance into the summer mix. "Our goal is find beach reads," says Summey, 34. This summer, however, half of the group's books will be more serious in nature. Inspired by the March death of Gordon Parks, the noted African-American photographer, filmmaker, composer and writer, the group will dig into his book Voices in the Mirror: An Autobiography.

Kings Contrivance village has rescheduled its Earth Day open-space cleanup, which was rained out, for 10 a.m. June 3 at Amherst House in the village center. Participants can sign in at 10 a.m. A rally, with free T-shirts and prizes, will be held at 1 p.m. Information: Richel Ticar, 410-997-9285 or Anne Dodd, 410-381-9600. 3 Oakland Mills residents honored Three Oakland Mills residents - Julia Llewellyn, Bill McCormack and Ginny Thomas - were honored for their role in the Oakland Mills revitalization effort at a reception April 25 at The Other Barn in the Oakland Mills Village Center.

Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company Inc. will sponsor basket bingo at the Lisbon fire hall, 1330 Woodbine Road, at 7 p.m. March 24. Doors open at 6 p.m. Food will be sold. Tickets are $15 in advance (including one free game) and $18 at the door, if available. Tickets include 20 games and door prizes. Special and raffles are also planned. Prizes are Longaberger baskets, pottery and wrought-iron items filled with goodies. Information: Joan Bennett, 410-489-4933; Doris Bowman, 410-489-4821; or Mary Farinholt, 410-489-9083.