On a lovely fall afternoon, the Progress Club met at 1 p.m. October 3 in the Community Center at Cape May.

President Judy Sargent opened the meeting by continuing with the free gifts we all have to offer. Roll call had each member relate a Halloween prank or event that they remember from childhood — some surprises, some shocks, and all amusing.

The minutes of the August meeting read by Secretary Becky Miller were approved as corrected. Judy Sargent gave the treasurer’s report for the absent treasurer Suzanne Madison.

The slate of officers for 2023 was presented by Cathy Hadley and approved. They are Mary Ellen Krisher, President; Cathy Hadley, Vice President; Becky Miller, Secretary; and Suzanne Madison, Treasurer.

Under other old business, a sign-up sheet for program chairs of 2023 was passed. We decided to skip July in 2023. We will continue meeting at 1:00 the rest of this year, and at the December meeting make a decision about meeting place and going back to having a luncheon meeting.

Joyce Walker and Jayne Garber co-chaired the program, “Facts and Trivia You Need to Know About October.”

October is the beginning of season of celebrations to end the year. The farmers are busy harvesting, the merchants are stocking the shelves with holiday décor. We learned that many famous people were born in October including six presidents.

Our quiz was to match the president with the famous or not-so-famous facts. And did you know that the darker red the leaves turn is controlled by the amount of sugar in the sap? Or that October 1 is National Homemade Cookie Day? Or that the first Friday is World Smile Day? Or that Tom Barr’s favorite day is the 28th, National Chocolate Day?

The program ended with the reading of “Little Orphan Annie” by James Whitcomb Riley. Each lady was given a sampler of homemade apple butter and pumpkin pecan butter and warned to be careful “or the goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!”

The next meeting of the Progress Club will be at the Cape May Community Center at 1 p.m. November 7 with Becky Miller and Mary Ellen Krisher as co-hosts.

Those in attendance other than those mentioned were members Jane Allemang, Hesperia Bevan, Jean Singleton, Donna Thorp, Jane Walker and guest Ruth Everhart.