New year’s resolutions reflect personal values. Many resolutions relate to our physical being: we resolve to lose weight or start an exercise program. Some resolutions relate to strengthening our spiritual lives, but it seems to me that people should also resolve to improve their minds.

In 2024, I encourage you to start a reading program. Watch television less and read more. Toward that end, I invite you to join the Jesse Stuart Foundation book discussion group, “The Regional Readers.” We read and discuss books written by Appalachian authors and books with Appalachian themes. We meet the last Tuesday of the month, March through November, at 2 p.m. at the JSF. The book group is open to all and new members are always welcome.

We all teach by example. If you want your children and grandchildren to be good readers, then you need to read and set a good example.

Reading helps you build “mental muscles,” and I’ll recommend a few books to add to your 2024 reading list:

These books are included among more than 10,000 individual titles in the Jesse Stuart Foundation Bookstore & Appalachian Gift Shop at 4440 13th Street in Ashland. For more information, call 606-326-1667.

Finally, I ask all of my readers to make this one simple New Year’s resolution: Say to yourself each day, “I will obey the traffic laws.” Violating the traffic laws is epidemic in Ashland — and everywhere else, I suspect. As responsible citizens, let’s make a personal effort to make our town a safer place to live.

Happy New Year from your friends at the Jesse Stuart Foundation! Let’s work together to make 2024 a happy and healthy year.

By James M. Gifford
JSF CEO & Senior Editor

New year’s resolutions reflect personal values. Many resolutions relate to our physical being: we resolve to lose weight or start an exercise program. Some resolutions relate to strengthening our spiritual lives, but it seems to me that people should also resolve to improve their minds.

In 2024, I encourage you to start a reading program. Watch television less and read more. Toward that end, I invite you to join the Jesse Stuart Foundation book discussion group, “The Regional Readers.” We read and discuss books written by Appalachian authors and books with Appalachian themes. We meet the last Tuesday of the month, March through November, at 2 p.m. at the JSF. The book group is open to all and new members are always welcome.

We all teach by example. If you want your children and grandchildren to be good readers, then you need to read and set a good example.

Reading helps you build “mental muscles,” and I’ll recommend a few books to add to your 2024 reading list:

These books are included among more than 10,000 individual titles in the Jesse Stuart Foundation Bookstore & Appalachian Gift Shop at 4440 13th Street in Ashland. For more information, call 606-326-1667.

Finally, I ask all of my readers to make this one simple New Year’s resolution: Say to yourself each day, “I will obey the traffic laws.” Violating the traffic laws is epidemic in Ashland — and everywhere else, I suspect. As responsible citizens, let’s make a personal effort to make our town a safer place to live.

Happy New Year from your friends at the Jesse Stuart Foundation! Let’s work together to make 2024 a happy and healthy year.

By James M. Gifford
JSF CEO & Senior Editor