Gone Clubbing
Art: Miles Parnell
From book clubs to card clubs to investment clubs, Park City has it all. No matter where your interests lie, you can probably find a group of likeminded people who share your passion for any imaginable hobby, from Scrabble to history to gardening. While some clubs are by invitation only, others welcome the public. All are guaranteed to fill up any spare time that busy Parkites can fit into busy lives.
In sheer numbers, book clubs head the list in popularity with one in almost every Park City neighborhood. Dolly’s Bookstore offers discounts for book clubs ordering five or more books. Dolly’s staff reports that this year’s favorites include “Water for Elephants,” “Atonement,” “Into the Wild,” and “Three Cups of Tea.” The History Book Club meets at the Park City Library at 6 p.m. every second Tuesday of each month. Open to all, its members spend three months reading and discussing one or more books on a topic. One of the most esoteric book clubs, The Yogini Book Club, meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. (at a location to be announced) to discuss books on the history and practice of yoga.
All types of card games and other games of chance run a close second in local club popularity. Chess, Scrabble and bunko are avidly pursued on a once-a-month basis. While many of these clubs are private, the Mah Jongg club at Temple Har Shalom (meeting the first and third Wednesday of each month from 4 to 6 p.m.) accepts players of all levels. Also, members of the temple take turns hosting a book club evening every other month featuring books with Jewish themes. Again, all are welcome.
Moms on the Mountain enjoys the distinction of being one of the longest running clubs in Park City. Since 1982, this intermediate to advanced ski group has met at Park City Ski Area (now Park City Mountain Resort) first at The Cookie Bear and now at the Legacy Lodge, at 9:15 a.m. every Tuesday morning during the winter season to ski all over the mountain. Whether you fit into the “A” group, hiking the peaks and skiing in the trees, or the “B” group, preferring “corduroy” runs, you are guaranteed to find your niche.
For those desiring to learn about and participate in the financial world through the stock market, there are various financial clubs. Since a prospective member must buy into a club, all of these groups are by invitation only and usually meet once a month. Many clubs have been operating for years, including the Silver Queens Investment Club and its male counterpart, The Filthy Lucre. In many investment clubs, stocks are divided into sectors, and members take turns reporting on stocks, after which decisions are made to sell, hold or buy.
Since Utah is known for its handicrafts, the local quilt guild (known as the Silver Queen Quilters), has been a needle lover’s haven for years. Its 10 to 20 members sometimes work on challenge quilts, selecting a theme and buying the same fabrics for all to use. Single projects have included an Olympic quilt and more recently, a quilt made for our non-profit organization, Friends of the Farm. Anyone interested in joining can call Peggy Stuart at 435.655.2776. Other crafts-related clubs include chapters of “Stitch and Bitch,” a twice-monthly needlecraft group that many women in the area enjoy.
For more information on various clubs, check The Park Record each week for a listing of additional groups.
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