Bethel

January is National Book Month, or maybe it isn’t. I haven’t been able to find any information about who started it or who sponsors National Book Month, but schools, libraries, and book sellers around the country are celebrating it. Any occasion that honors books is good, and January is a perfect time to celebrate books. As Mainers, we love our snow, but there are always moments when it is too cold or windy or snowy to be outdoors. So let’s all hang up our snowshoes and skis for a few hours this month and pick a way to celebrate National Book Month: buy a new book from a local book seller, visit the library, or read to a child. Dr. Seuss said: “You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child.”

January is also National Blood Donor Month. Generally cold weather keeps people away from donating blood. This month, the American Red Cross is warming up donors by offering them a pound of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. The deal is called “give a pint, get a pound.” If you missed donating on Jan. 8 at Sunday River, contact the Red Cross for other locations during the month. They can be contacted at www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

On Dec. 31, I spent the afternoon in Shelburne, N.H., celebrating a late Christmas with a dinner and party at the home of my sister and her husband, Laurie and Bob Hickey. Other guests were Tia Panico, Heather Davis, and Greg Tsiatis of Middleburgh, N.Y.; Karen Davis, and Katie, Hannah, and Andy Matczak of Bellingham, Mass.; Rebecca Crommett of Norway; and Musa Brown and Avery Angevine of Bethel.

If you have news you’d like to share, call me at 824-2483 or e-mail nancybrown1150@yahoo.com.