Conversation Club met at the Ohio Living Cape May Campus on March 22. President Judy Sargent welcomed 13 members and two guests, Mel and Matthew Grosvenor. The hostess for the day, Suzanne Madison, was thanked.
Marla Stewart introduced her daughter, Mel Grosvenor, the speaker for the day. Mel is a naturalist with Greene County Parks and Trails.
She is a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe. She has loved his works since she was in grade school and finds his life story to be every bit as compelling as his stories.
She is the founder of the Ohio Poe Fans Facebook group. She started it to connect with other Poe fans in the area. Anyone is welcome to join, not just Ohioans. They have members from other countries.
She was eager to share her knowledge and enthusiasm with others and to dispel some of the many myths about him.
She led the group on an interesting story of Edgar Allan Poe from birth to death. His life was full of twist and turns. He was an American short-story writer, poet, critic and editor who are famous for his cultivation of mystery and the macabre. His tale “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” initiated the modern detective story in 1841. The atmosphere in his tales of horror is unrivaled in American fiction. “The Raven” numbers among the best known poems in literature. His private life was as strange as his writings.
A business meeting was then held with the members answering to, “What are you reading?”
The next meeting will be at Diane Murphy’s home with Diane and Carolyn Matthews ass hostesses. The program will be on the selection of new members. The book “Race Against Time” will be discussed with Marla Stewart serving as leader.
Christine Snyder shared that she had just attended a meeting regarding the help that is needed for the recent bombing of Wilmington’s sister city, Merefa Ukraine. A secondary school culture center was heavily damaged. Many homes were as well, killing some 26 and injuring several more.
They were able to reach out for our help. In addition to their recent bombing, they are caring for many refugees who have fled there from Kharkiv. More information will be forthcoming to facilitate donations.
