Program Calendar
2026—2027 Programming
The Woman’s Literary Club meets seven times yearly, October through April.
Our November through March Programs are held the third Tuesday of the month at Hope Church, 77 W 11th St, Holland, MI 49423. Programs begin at 1:00 and are followed by a social hour.
Reservations are required for our October and April Luncheons
Various Pop-Up special events are scheduled as well throughout the year. Members and Guests are welcome!
Monthly Programming
Rosie the Riveter with Debra “Rosie Deb” Wake
October 20, 2026 – Annual Fall Luncheon
Macatawa Golf Club, 4600 Macatawa Legends Blvd., Holland MI 49424
11:30 Social Hour – 12:00 Noon Luncheon
Reservation required – Members and guests welcome
About the Talk
Appearing in her “Rosie gear,” “Rosie Deb” explores how the symbol of Rosie the Riveter evolved, then looks at how these women were recruited, the challenges they faced in the workplace and in society, what these amazing women accomplished during the war, and what happened to the Rosies after the war ended.
The program includes a display of historic artifacts and a PowerPoint presentation, offering a lively and informative look at a pivotal time in U.S. history.
About the Speaker
Debra Wake has been very active in Rosie organizations and in researching Rosie history. Debra’s background includes earning a BA in history from the University of Michigan and working at the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village. After relocating to Holland, she became the education and volunteer coordinator at the Holland Museum before retiring. Debra currently lectures on Holland history. Her recent presentation highlighted Frank Baum and the Oz books.
Our honored guest is Maxine Boeve, 102, who moved from Holland to Seattle when her father accepted a position at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. During the war, she worked in a machine shop repairing damaged ships and submarines. After the war, she married Harold Boeve, a service member from Holland, and the couple returned to West Michigan.
Read a recent Holland Sentinel interview with local “Rosies”.
Holland’s Centennial Park with Linda Kaiser
November 17, 2026 – 1:00 pm
Hope Church, 77 West 11th Street, Holland MI 49423
Social Hour to Follow
Members and guests welcome
About the Talk
Originally designated as the marketplace of Holland, Centennial Park is now a showplace park in the center of our town—geographically and culturally. Discover some of its storied past and how it evolved to become a centerpiece of the Holland downtown.
About the Speaker
Linda Kaiser is the daughter of Dutch immigrants and a graduate of Hope College. Upon completing her stint as a stay-at-home mom, she re-invented herself as the owner/operator of Holland Tasting Tours, offering walking food tours of downtown Holland, history tours of a local cemetery, and step-on tours.
Linda also enjoys her role as Ambassador for the West Coast Chamber of Commerce and for Tulip Time. She is passionate about her family, Holland, travel, food, kayaking and napping (not simultaneously). Linda loves to laugh and appreciates the opportunity to do so with others. She was recently promoted to “Oma” (Dutch for grandma) and would love to show you pictures of her grandsons.
Caroling with the Dickens Singers – Holland Chorale a cappella ensemble
December 15, 2026 – 1:00 pm
Hope Church, 77 West 11th Street, Holland MI 49423
Social Hour to Follow
Members and guests welcome
About the Caroling
The Dickens Singers will provide a festive Christmas program with traditional and classic Christmas carols for the enjoyment of the membership and guests. The program will be held in the Sanctuary of Hope Church. Traditional Christmas treats will be served at the following social gathering.
About the Group
The Dickens Singers is an a cappella ensemble comprised of Holland Chorale members. The group performs throughout West Michigan during the Christmas season.
Locally, the Singers can be seen when Sinterklaas arrives in Downtown Holland on December 5, at the Kerstmarkt on River and 8th Street and at local businesses during the holiday season.
The Holland Chorale is celebrating its 67th season and performs four concerts yearly at Harderwyk Ministries and the Jack Miller Auditorium. The Chorale also sponsors the West Michigan Children’s Choir with other outreach projects in the local area.
Click on the link below to find out more about this local treasure. Holland Chorale
More than Women’s Work: Textile Arts, the Red Cross, and the Creative Labor of War with Katelyn Ver Merris, Holland Area Arts Council
January 19, 2027 – 1:00 pm
Hope Church, 77 West 11th Street, Holland MI 49423
Social Hour to Follow
Members and guests welcome
About the Talk
Katelyn Ver Merris will talk about the work of women in textile arts during WWI and WWII, and their influence and contributions. She will also speak about the work of the Holland Area Arts Council today.
About the Speaker
Katelyn Ver Merris is the new Executive Director of the Holland Area Arts Council, where she leads efforts to build community through accessible arts experiences, exhibitions, and creative partnerships. She holds degrees from Calvin College and West Virginia University and has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 10 years. She believes everyone is creative and she is passionate about creating welcoming spaces where people can explore, learn, and connect through art.
Click on the link below to find more information about programs and events at Holland Area Arts Council. Holland Area Arts Council
Ethical Dilemmas of the Shipwreck Lady Elgin with Valerie van Heest
February 16, 2027 – 1:00 pm
Hope Church, 77 West 11th Street, Holland MI 49423
Social Hour to Follow
Members and guests welcome
About the Talk
Valerie Van Heest, author of the book Lost on the Lady Elgin, tells the story of how a returned gold watch, found in the shipwreck remains of the Lady Elgin, led to an overseas adventure and an unforeseen personal discovery.
About the Speaker
Valerie van Heest is an underwater explorer, award-winning author, and museum exhibit designer based in Holland, Michigan. She serves on the board of the Michigan Shipwreck Research Association, where she has spearheaded the discovery of 20 shipwrecks off West Michigan and directed archaeological investigations of more than 50 shipwrecks. Her work earned her induction into the Women Divers Hall of Fame.
She worked on the initial reconnaissance documentation of the Civil War–era side-wheeler Lady Elgin and later collaborated with Smithsonian archaeologist Paul Johnston to further document the site. Her book Lost on the Lady Elgin won the 2011 INDIE First Place Book Award and the 2011 Illinois History Award for Superior Achievement.
Valerie has written eight books and numerous magazine articles, and she curates and designs museum exhibits through Lafferty van Heest & Associates. Her work has appeared in print, television, and radio news stories and in features on National Geographic and the History, Science, and Travel Channels. She is the 2025 Historian of the Year for the Detroit Marine Historical Society and has received honors from the Association for Great Lakes Maritime History, the Michigan Historical Society, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Click on the link below for more information about Valerie Van Heest’s adventures and published writings. Valerie Van Heest Website
Jane Austen and Her Ironic Meditation on Gender with Karenleigh A. Overmann, DPhil Oxon
March 16, 2027 – 1:00 pm
Hope Church, 77 West 11th Street, Holland MI 49423
Social Hour to Follow
Members and guests welcome
About the Talk
After a short introduction to the author Jane Austen and the Regency era in which she lived, we will examine the relation between two of Austen’s most famous books: Pride and Prejudice and Emma. The central characters and plot lines of Emma are revealed as a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Austen obscured this recycling of characters and plots by reversing the genders of the main characters, “mirroring” that subjected them to different societal expectations. Emma’s whimsical antecedent may explain why Austen would later describe Emma as a character that “no one but myself will much like.” The works of four authors and the reasons they likely influenced this gendered topsy-turvy are also examined: Samuel Richardson, Henry Fielding, William Shakespeare, and the Reverend James Fordyce.
About the Speaker
Karenleigh A. Overmann directs the Center for Cognitive Archaeology at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She investigates numeracy and literacy as complex cultural systems that emerge through sustained interactions between behaviors, brains, and material forms. She earned her doctorate in archaeology from the University of Oxford and her master’s in psychology and bachelor’s in anthropology, philosophy, and English from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. She has also published work in literary criticism, focusing on the novels and time of Jane Austen. She is retired from the U.S. Navy, where she performed communications-electronics work as an enlisted Radioman before earning a commission under the Limited Duty Officer program.
Karenleigh is also the Coordinator for the Jane Austen Society, Western Michigan Region. Click on the link below to find the group on Facebook. Western Michigan Jane Austen Society
Audrey Hepburn: A Living History Portrayal with Leslie Goddard, PhD
April 20, 2027 – Annual Spring Luncheon
Macatawa Golf Club, 4600 Macatawa Legends Blvd., Holland MI 49424
11:30 Social Hour – 12:00 Noon Luncheon
Reservation required – Members and guests welcome
About the Talk
It is 1989, and Audrey Hepburn has just returned to her home in Switzerland for an interview about her work as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. As she entertains her guests over cocktails, she shares stories about her childhood during World War II, her remarkable success in Hollywood in films such as Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and her lifelong efforts to find real love and overcome her own deep-seated fears.
About the Speaker
Leslie Goddard, Ph.D., is an award-winning Chicago actress, historian, and author who brings the past to life through living history portrayals of memorable women and through illustrated lectures. She holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University specializing in U.S. history and American studies, as well as master’s degrees in theater and museum studies. A former museum director, she has worked full time as a historical interpreter and speaker since 2013, portraying figures ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt and Julia Child to Amelia Earhart and Jacqueline Kennedy. She is the author of two books on Chicago history, Remembering Marshall Field’s and Chicago’s Sweet Candy History.
For more information about Leslie Goddard and her work, click the link below.
Leslie Goddard Presents, LLC | www.lesliegoddardpresents.com