Want to live a long life? Then keep reading!

That was the wisdom from six centenarians who were honored at the 10-Squared Talking Book Club spring tea in Seattle this weekend.  The annual tea has been organized for the past five years by the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library to bring together 10-Squared club members, who are all 100 years old or older and regular patrons of the library.

Of the 40 club members statewide, the oldest is Daisy Murphy, 109, of Seattle.  Daisy was unable to attend this year, but her fellow club members, Maud Lepley, 105, Seattle; Faith Callahan, 104, Des Moines; Grace Stanchfield, 103, Seattle; Ruth Houk, 102, Puyallup; Evelyn Valentine, 101, Seattle; and Helen Sisley, 100, Seattle; were all there to represent the club at the Saturday event. Sisley was inducted into the club this year.

During the event that highlighted these women’s remarkable stories, a video was presented featuring interviews with each of the attendees talking about the most memorable book they had read.  Listing off a range of books from an ABC primer to the entire 20-volume Book of Knowledge, all credited reading as helping them live long and stimulating lives.

The attendees also spoke about the amazing changes they have witnessed in their lifetimes.  Ruth Houk talked about riding a horse to school near Central Point, Oregon. Each week, her mother and aunt dressed in their best clothes, harnessed the family’s “beautiful golden horse” to the buggy and drove several miles to their women’s church group.

The fantastic event was made possible by WTBBL staff and volunteers, under the leadership of Program Manager Danielle King.  Also attending was Washington State Librarian Jan Walsh and Nancy Pearl, the famed Seattle librarian, author, and librarian action figure model!  

For more information on WTBBL, visit www.wtbbl.org .

(Thanks to agency Development Director Carleen Jackson for the event update!)