In the unavoidable absence of President Andrea Battle, Vice-President Allen Hanson  called the meeting of the Amherst Club to order at noon on Tuesday, January 26th, 2016, and welcomed us all.

Allen asked the members to please put donations for a New Year’s tip for the Monkey Bar staff – who are so pleasant and helpful to us – in an envelope that is being passed around, if they had not done so last week.

Joan Hanson updated the members on the progress of business contributions to the Cabaret.

Therese Brady Donohue reminded us that gift certificates and objects donated to the Cabaret Silent Auction need to be brought in on March 1^st and put in her car which will be parked outside. However, if anyone needs to bring in an item next week, they may do so. Anyone who can solicit more auction items is encouraged to do so!

Linda Honan reminded the members that she needs to receive any items for the Lunch Notes in writing – brief notes are fine! Please give her the names of guests, and details of announcements.  

Announcements:

Thursday, Jan. 28^th, at 7 pm: Ann Marie Shea is presenting her one-woman show on Frances Perkins at the Gamble Auditorium in the Mount Holyoke College Art Building. Free and open to the public, reception to follow.

Through Saturday, Jan. 30^th,  Lois Barber’s show of original watercolor paintings from her Birds of a Feather series is at the Burnett Gallery in the Jones Library.

Saturday, Jan. 30^th and Sunday, Jan. 31^st, the Amherst Railway Society will present a show of model railways at the Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield.

Sunday, January 31^st, at 3 pm, “Messiah” will be presented by Quabbin Pro Musica at the Orange Congregational Church. Charles Heffernan is the conductor.

Raffle: Bonnie Isman won the wine, and Miriam Dayton won the $10.

Speaker:

Claude Tellier introduced our speaker, Russ Vernon-Jones, retired principal of Fort River Elementary School.  Russ was wearing two buttons: Black Lives Matter, and Supporting our Muslim Brothers and Sisters, and these two statements summed up his topic.  Russ told us that systemic racism prevails in the U.S.A. It is now harder to rise socially above your parents’ status here than in many other countries. Consequently, there is very little social mobility. Russ recommended discussing this topic with friends, and to find ways to help, see the web sites www.colorofchange.org, www.coming-together.org,  www.raceforward.org, and http://www.realcostofprisons.org.