Event Types: Clubs

This month the Gunn Library Book Club will read and discuss Lisa Wingate’s 2017 popular novel, Before We Were Yours. Copies of the book are available at the front desk of the library. Instead of meeting at the library, this month’s gathering will take place at GW Tavern in Washington, CT.

Book summary:

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong.

Saturday, September 30, 1:00pm

Orange Shirt Day is observed on September 30 in Indigenous communities throughout North America. This annual event commemorates the residential school experience in Indigenous communities, and serves as a reminder to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation. This year, join IAIS staff for a screening and discussion of Unspoken: America’s Native American Boarding Schools. Participants are encouraged to wear an orange shirt. We are also seeking donations of shoes that can be used for an empty shoe display, as a reminder of the thousands of children who were lost to the residential school system. Shoes can be of any style, but children’s shoes are preferred. We appreciate shoe donations in advance, but you can also bring them along to the screening.
Please note: Due to the challenging legacy of the Native American residential school system, the topics discussed during this event might trigger strong emotions for some participants.
Space is limited in the screening and pre-registrations are appreciated. Please visit our website to register. This is a FREE event, but donations are always appreciated. Information on relevant organizations and initiatives to support will also be available at the museum.

Register here

Join us for the 6th Annual Washington Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 8th from 12pm-5pm. We can’t wait to celebrate the community with live music, great food, talented artists, impressive scarecrows, countless vendors, train rides, fire truck tours, and more family-friendly fun. Admission is FREE to all!

As in past years, the Washington Harvest Festival will feature:
🎶 Live music
🍔 Food
🍻 Mobile pub for adults
🎃 Pumpkin carving
🚂 Train rides
🌾 Hay maze
🚒 Fire truck tours
🧶 Local craft, business, and nonprofit vendors

We also invite you to join in on our annual Scarecrow Competition! 🏆

This event is organized by Washington Business Association and Washington Parks & Recreation.