📚 Love reading, nature? This Florida book club takes the library outdoors

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Winter is right around the corner, and for some Floridians, the cooler weather may get them spending more time outside when it’s not so hot and humid.

Well for those who love to read, there’s a Central Florida book club taking the library to local parks exploring nature and talking books.

Bill Frederick Park in Orlando is the backdrop of December’s book club meeting for the Southwest Branch of the Orange County Library System. The group is discussing the book “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride.

“This book touches on the connectedness of the community, racism and music,” OCLS Librarian Sandy Mayer said. “Even though everybody reads the same book, the reader experiences it differently.”

Mayer moderates the Nature Walk Book Club each month. She said she got the idea from other libraries throughout the country taking their book club discussions outdoors.

“I love the outdoors, I love walking and I love reading and books so the combination was a win-win for me, and I was hoping people in the community would also be interested,” Mayer said.

Mayer created the club in 2018, ending each meeting with a stroll around local parks with members like Carla Bitterling.

“After I finish a book I’m like, ‘this was so good, who can I talk to about this?’ so I already know who I’m going to talk with because the book was selected by a librarian and I can look forward to meeting everyone and talking about it while also getting up and moving and exercising,” Bitterling said.

There’s no cost to join the book club, you just have to be a member of the Orange County Library System, which is free.

“Vitamin D is free. I mean, the fresh air and beautiful outdoors. It’s cheap medicine. The only thing I have to buy are a pair of good walking shoes,” Bitterling said.

Along with the love of reading and interacting with others, Bitterling said the book club highlights the importance of nature. Something everyone can get behind.

“The ecology, whether it’s the air we breath, the water we might swim in... It connects us to history. Our future is dependent upon what we learn,” Bitterling said.

“A joy for me is seeing them make connections with other people. Getting to know other people. That’s always nice to see,” Mayer said.

If you’d like to check out the book club, there is a Pop-up StoryWalk hosted by OCLS Saturday, Dec. 21 at Bill Frederick Park at 11 a.m. Click HERE to register.

The Nature Walk Book Club is one of many book clubs offered by OCLS. The options include in-person and virtual book clubs. Click HERE for a list of book clubs and meeting times.

Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: