Culture Club reviews ‘The Wedding Gift’

Sixteen members attended the November meeting of Culture Club at the Elks Lodges.

President Jan Augur opened the meeting with the poem, “I am a Veteran” by Andrea Christensen Brett. Members repeated the Collect and answered roll call by naming members of their family who were veterans. All branches of the armed services were mentioned.

Secretary’s minutes were read and accepted. The treasurer gave the club’s financial report.

Members were asked to bring items for the Giving Tree at the Elks.

Membership Chairman Linda Smith presented a name for membership.

Social Chairman Elaine Hoover announced the Dec. 8 meeting will be a Christmas luncheon at the Elks at noon.

Program Chairman Sandy Rosebrough introduced Connie Herzog who presented a book review on “The Wedding Gift” by Marlen Suyapa Bodden. It’s a story of women during 1852 in Alabama. Sarah, a slave, is the daughter of a prestigious plantation owner, and her half sister, Clarissa. Their father gives Sarah to Clarissa as a wedding gift to be her maid. Clarissa is not the proper Southern belle as she appears because the choices of her men friends that her father does not approve, so he selects her husband-to-be and she does marry the wrong man.

Sarah hides the fact that she can read and write, because she sat in on Clarissa’s lessons taught by Clarissa’s mother. Sarah always has dreamed of being free and escaping. She finally does escape and has many igniting events that will enrapture the reader to the very end.