Editor’s note: This press release was provided by the Friends of the Town of Pelham Public Library. The Pelham Examiner publishes press releases in the form received as a service to the community.

The Friends of the Town of Pelham Public Library are happy to announce that this year’s Novel Night invitations are generously sponsored by Mellstrom Bischof Ritchie Real Estate of Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty. Novel Night, which will take place on September 30, is the central fundraiser for Pelham’s library. Funds raised through Novel Night are used to support library programming for adults and children, to fund essential purchases like new furniture and computers, and to ensure patron access to electronic information and technology. 

Holly Mellstrom, the #1 ranked real estate agent in Pelham for 12 years, has lived in the same house on Manor Lane for 27 years and has been attending Novel Night the length of her time here. When she first moved to town, Mellstrom hosted a Novel Night dinner based on Orhan Pamuk’s, My Name is Red, for which she cooked a Turkish feast for guests. When giving tours of Pelham to potential residents, Mellstrom always includes a stop at the library, as she appreciates that it serves as not only as a wonderful source of books, but a meeting place where neighbors become friends. Mellstrom values Novel Night because, as she said, “It reminds everyone that our library is here, relies on our support, and helps make our community better. It is part of a larger Westchester Library System and it also helps families in neighboring towns as well.”

A Westchester native, Kristin Bischof has closed more than 175 real estate transactions worth over $145 million. Growing up with parents who owned a bookstore, Bischof has been surrounded by books her whole life. Bischof has lived in Pelham for the past 20 years, and her house is two blocks from the Pelham library. She and her family have used the library as a valuable resource for books and movies, and as a quiet space to study or work. Bischof and her husband have hosted three Novel Night dinners, one based on American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, another inspired by The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri and in 2021 hosted Golden Girl by Elin Hildebrand. “It is always such a fun event! When you get to the NYAC and see all the costumes, you wish you could have gone to all the dinners,” Bischof said when asked about her experience with Novel Night. She added that the event, “enhances the Pelham community by bringing people together and making connections that otherwise might not have been made.”  

Beth Ritchie became a full-time agent in 2013, following 15 years in executive roles at Fortune 500 healthcare companies. A Florida native, moved to Pelham eight years ago, after having her first child in Manhattan. She was drawn to this town because of its charm and the sense of belonging she felt here. Pelham’s vibrant community spirit and the way people come together to support each other make it a special place. She wanted to be part of a community that values literacy, literature, and the arts, and Pelham provides just that. She joined the board of the Friends of Pelham Public Library in 2022 because she believes the library is a place where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together to explore the world through books, benefit from unique programming, access valuable resources and attend community events. “Novel Night not only celebrates literature but also raises funds for our local library, which plays a crucial role in our community. Novel Night is a magical evening—a celebration of storytelling that brings neighbors together to share their love of reading,” Ritchie says. In 2021 and 2023, Beth was named as a Five Star Real Estate Agent winner and featured in Westchester Magazine and has been consistently named as a Top 100 Producer at Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty.

The Novel Night After Party, will take place at 9 PM, September 30th at the New York Athletic Club. Invitations, sponsored by Mellstrom, Bischof, and Ritchie, were sent over the summer. To learn more about the event, please visit www.pelhamnovelnight.com.