Iowans with 100 years of reading experience honored

Eleven Iowans who first learned to read years ago will be honored today (Monday) for continuing to keep up their interest in books. The eleven are being inducted in the a new Iowa chapter of the “10-squared Talking Book Club.” The club was created by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped recognizes the accomplishments of readers who’re 100 years of age and older and gives them priority on new releases. 100-year-old Catherine Hanlon of Cherokee is one of the members of the new club, and says reading is something she’s done all her life and now it keeps her mind busy instead of just sitting and doing nothing. The Talking Book program provides books and magazines on audio or large print for those who can’t read standard print pages. Hanlon says it’s an important service. She says she likes the fact that she can call and ask for the type of book she wants and if they have it in large print, they send it to her. Hanlon says she would have trouble reading without the special books. She says her eyes tire, as she has 20-20 vision in one eye, but the other eye gives her trouble. Other members of the club are 100-year-olds, Marie Farrell of Menlo, Pauline Stephens of Des Moines, Ethel McCombs of Cedar Falls . 101-year-olds Dorothy Bryant of Perry, Irene Krause of Clarinda and Jennie Ver Steeg of Orange City. 102-year-olds Mildred Beem of Grinnell, Gladys Breer of Baxter and Josie England of Ruthven. And finally there’s 103-year-old Luther Goldberg of Shenandoah. They’ll be honored today with a ceremony at the Iowa Department of the Blind. Anyone who is a citizen of the United States and cannot read or use standard print materials because of a visual or physical handicap may qualify to join Talking Books.