December Luncheon

Welcome the holidays with a NWC tradition…the ‘Company’, a choral group with 22 members from Lakeridge High School directed by Bill Campbell, will entertain us with holiday songs and dance. During the social hour, a flutist from the ‘Heart Strings’ will perform beautiful background music.

DATE

December 10, 2024.
(note that this is not on the usual Thursday schedule)

VENUE

Monarch Hotel
12566 SE 93rd Avenue
Clackamas, OR 97015

Parking available in front of the hotel. The event is downstairs (there is an elevator).

SCHEDULE

LUNCH

Cost $ 42 (includes gratuity)

Choice of Plated Entrees

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

To register, select your entree, and indicate that you are bringing a guest, click or tap this button:

The event is limited to 100 people. The registration deadline is December 3, 2024 at noon. You will receive a confirmation email after registration (make sure you check your spam folder)

You may pay online by clicking or tapping this button:

Pay online

...or you may bring a check made payable to Newcomers Welcome Club.

If you need to cancel, contact Joan Baines or Merryl Sawicki ASAP. If no can not take your reservation, you are responsible for the cost of the lunch.

President’s Message

by Sandy Esterson, NWC President

We have a month to go, but still, a New Year is right around the corner! Is it time for some New Year's Resolutions?

There are the old ones that some of us say every year…I will lose weight… I will exercise more…no more junk food, I will not buy things I don’t need online…the list does go on!

My best personal resolution has frequently been to try to be a more patient person. (I frequently want things done yesterday). Being President of NWC has certainly helped me with this goal. I now patiently wait to see what amazing and fun-filled opportunities our Board and committee members come up with next! Last year, we were feted by an incredible Tea Party and Mardi Gras Party; the Tapas/Trivia Fiesta was amazing this year! Quite a few new activities are being started, with other innovative activities still in the planning stage. Very exciting! Lunches, dinners, sports, games, discussions, book clubs, philanthropic opportunities, how can we top all of this? Many of you are involved in many club activities, each event patiently anticipated and always enjoyed.

I patiently wait for what comes next, and I hope you will too! Many opportunities abound, I hope you will resolve to be active and enjoy all that NWC has to offer!

Here is wishing a very happy and healthy new year to each of you and yours.

Best wishes,

Sandy

New members

These new members come to us from California: Denise Beringer from Napa, Lisa Reiser from Redding, Birgit Woodward & Scott from San Marino, Alison McLin & David Gariepy from Los Gatos, and Nancy Kearsley & Chuck from Santa Monica.

These new members are from Oregon: Betsie Weil from Portland, Jamie Shull from Portland, Barbara DePue from Bend, and Vicki Gasiorowski & John from Bend.

Larry Wasser is from Louisville, Kentucky.

2025 Directory

We're excited to announce that the 2025 Directory is at the printers! This handy resource will help you connect with other members. Join us at the NWC annual Holiday Luncheon on Tuesday, December 10th at the Monarch Hotel in Clackamas and pick up your directory. For those not attending the Holiday Luncheon, the directories will be mailed out in the next few days following the luncheon.

Lark & Ann

December birthdays

November luncheon photos

Thanks to members for donating food items for Hunger Fighters. Sherry Kuntz is the winner of the Autumn Raffle Basket donated by NWC Book Clubs.

Philanthropy Committee News

by Barb Brannon

Our December Luncheon and Holiday Boutique is just around the corner!  We need more members and vendors to bring creations to sell at the Boutique.  If you, or someone you know, would like to participate, contact me to reserve space. If you would prefer to take preorders at the Boutique for your handicrafts, just bring samples and your order pad. We will reserve a spot for you!

Our Holiday Bake sale will feature yummy cakes, pies, cookies, candy and other treats. If you would like to contribute, let me know what you will bring to our table.

We will have also have silent auction for two holiday-themed baskets. Something different, and it should be fun! Winners will be announced at the luncheon.

Proceeds from the Boutique, Bake sale and the Silent Auction go to Hungers Fighters Oregon. This is one of our main fund-raisers for the year and we hope to have great participation. Bring cash or a checkbook for your purchases! We invite those selling art and handicrafts at the Boutique to donate a portion of their sales.

Holidays are a season to be thankful, so I take this opportunity to recognize and celebrate the amazing members of our Philanthropy Committee: Connie Bettencourt, Diana Bowers, Mary Chancellor, Darlene Conkle, Jeanne Delver, Sandy Esterson, Susan Gray, Brenda Henderson, Sherry Kuntz, Susan Muhm, and new members Sarah York and Karin Lukins. We also say goodbye to long-time member Jeanne Delver who is leaving the committee. Thank you Jeanne for great support and friendship through the years!

Philanthropy is an important NWC mission, and our committee is dedicated to organizing events and activities to raise money for our charity. We have succeeded largely because club members are so generous in supporting our fundraising activities. So a huge thank you to all NWC members! And rest assured, we are planning an exciting, fun(d-raising) year ahead!

Commission Original Art at the Holiday Boutique!

Sandy Esterson will take orders at the December Luncheon Holiday Boutique for beautiful, custom watercolor paintings of either a single initial or a full name. These make wonderful keepsakes and are a popular purchase for grandchildren. Sandy creates each painting using colors you choose and spends painstaking hours creating each intricate design. The result is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. Samples will be displayed at the Boutique, and you can place your orders then. You may pay by either cash or check when you place your order. Delivery time will depend on the number of orders received, but she hopes to finish them within two to three months. Sandy paints on quality watercolor paper, and her creations are ready for framing. By ordering a painting, you are also supporting a worthy cause! Eighty percent of all proceeds are being donated to Hunger Fighters!

Sunshine cards

by Nancy Jacobson

Send a little sunshine to someone, in the form of a card. Email Nancy Jacobson their name, address, and why they need a bit of cheering up.

LO Adult Community Center

by Sally Roach

Thank you to all the generous members who have signed up to serve lunch each month. We do not need additional volunteers at this time but feel free to contact Sally with questions or to be added to a reserve list. We set up and serve lunch on the 4th Monday from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm at 505 G Avenue, Lake Oswego.

Contact Sally Roach.

Welcome to Newcomers Activities

by Barbra Crumley and Nancy O'Neill

We are an inclusive group of women and men that have formed a vibrant community and welcome new and old members to join in our many offerings. If you would like to see a new activity offered, come forward and we will work with you to make it happen by arranging co-facilitators and mentoring. It’s fun to co-create and a great way to make friends who enjoy the same activities as you.

We have started a waitlist for another book group.

New group—WaCo Fun

by Joyce Porter

There's a new group named "Washington County Fun in Beaverton and Hillsboro," or its short form, WaCo Fun.

Enjoy fun in Washington County with other Newcomers living in, near, or far from Beaverton/Hillsboro. We will enjoy various activities in the local area, including Bowling, Bingo, Cultural events and festivals, Dining, Game Nights, Movies, Music in the Park, Walks, and more! We will launch WaCo Fun in January 2025. Those interested, please contact Joyce Porter.

Reading Between the Wines

by Jami White

Our lively book club combines our love of books with a happy hour theme. We meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at members' homes. Book guidelines: no fantasy, supernatural, or horror. The menu for our late-afternoon meeting time follows our happy hour theme with light appetizers and beverages. Our reading list is created from participant's suggestions and group votes. We are a newly formed group and will provide more details once we are fully up and running. Cheers!

Reading Between the Wines is currently at capacity.

NWC Travelers

by Ed Sawicki

We've added photos from Dave Hull's trip to Scandinavia to NWC Travelers. To see them, click or tap this photo to go to the NWC Travelers page, then click “Photos”, then "Dave Hull".

If you have photos or short videos, send them and their captions to me. You may have to send them one at a time to get around email size limits. Contact me if you have trouble.

On the NWC Travelers page, you'll see links to webcams around the world that allow you to see live video of places you might want to travel to.

Calling all Travel Adventurers!

by Nancy O'Neill and Barbra Crumley

Some feedback from our survey indicated an interest in travel: sharing your experiences, vendor recommendations, bucket list interests, and establishing a network to interact with each other about travel companions. This network could be a monthly meeting (in person or virtual) with online postings of do's and don’ts from a recent excursion, or asking members about considering a travel companion for future travel. Meetings could also include sharing educational information (seminars) about certain countries, vendors, or travel groups. For us to get this off the ground, we need some interested volunteers to facilitate the design of this adventure group. If interested, please contact either Barbra or Nancy with your level of interest, suggestions, and ideas.

Bon Voyage!

Saturday Night Social

by Merryl Sawicki

This monthly Saturday evening social is an opportunity for newcomers, their spouses, and single members to meet other members in the warmth and comfort of a member's home. Please bring an appetizer to share and your own beverage that is not shared.

We need a host for our Saturday Social for October of 2025. If you are interested in hosting, please contact Merryl:

The December Saturday Social is on December 21, 2024 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and hosted by Leslie and Phil Pirotta.

To RSVP, text or email Leslie.

Coffee & Conversation

by Darlene Conkle and Karol Burke

Enjoy getting to know other Newcomers in a small group setting. You’ll meet current members who will share their experiences and find out about the different activities.

New, prospective, and longtime members are welcome. We will not meet in December due to the holidays but will resume in January. Members are encouraged to take this opportunity to invite a new member to meet for coffee.

Friendship Luncheons

by Lissa Willis and Carol Jo Bays

Newcomers Friendship Luncheons offer the opportunity to develop new and lasting friendships in a quieter setting, perfect for conversation. The format is for six to eight ladies to meet monthly, rotating homes (even co-hosting if space is tight). Each hostess can prepare a casual meal for the group or select a restaurant at which to meet, with each member paying for her own lunch. Groups set their own meeting day—for example, second Tuesdays—so everyone can mark their calendars ahead. Flexibility and courtesy are the keys to success!

These smaller lunch gatherings are ideal for getting to know one another better, and new groups are forming all the time. Please contact us if you wish to join in the fun!

the Book Nook

by Lynn Pappas

The Book Nook meets on the second Monday of each month. Please contact Lynn Pappas if you would like to join.

We will be enjoying our annual Christmas Brunch and Book Exchange. This event is for current members only. All information regarding location and sign-up sheet will be provided to Book Nook members via email.

Date/Time:  Monday, December 9, 2024 at 10:00 AM to Noon

Tea, Cookies, and a Good Book

by Anne Dantzig

Our holiday luncheon and book exchange will be Monday, December 2 at noon. Details about the location will be sent to members beforehand. Please bring a wrapped used book that you enjoyed for our book exchange. If you would like to join the book club in 2025, please contact Anne to learn more about our group.

Memories to Memoir

by Linda Morris

Hello to all Memoirists and potential Memoirists,

We have just (barely) met the minimum numbers to make the group viable, so we are still actively recruiting members. Because of my travel commitments, we plan to relaunch in January 2025. We will meet twice a month online through Zoom, probably 1st and 3rd Wednesdays between 10:00 and 11:30. The final time and day will be determined by members.

If you have stories bursting out of your head and trying to jump onto paper or have questions, please contact me.

Linda Morris

Bridge Lessons

by Alyce Grissom

“If you still think you want to learn bridge in a relaxing and fun way. Sign up for my bridge lessons.”

Tuesdays, 11 am to 1pm: or Wednesday, 11 am to 1pm or 1 to 3pm. The lessons will be held at my house. 5102 SE Gladstone St, Portland, OR 97206. I have had some response but we need 4 to sign up.

Please call or text your interest to Alyce Grissom.

Bunco #1

by Sherry Kuntz

The Bunco #1 group meets every third Thursday, and is run by Sherry Kuntz.

Date/Time: Thursday, December 19, 2024, begins at 12:00 noon.

The Bunco group will meet at the home of Sherry Kuntz. If you are unable to attend, please contact Sherry by email or at 503-860-9813. We will not be playing so no sub is needed.

Bunco #2

by Paula Sorensen

This group meets in the evening on the second Wednesday of the month and is managed by Paula Sorensen.

Date/Time: Wednesday, December 18, at 6:30 pm

Hostess: Paula Sorensen

RSVP to Paula.

Dinner and Dominoes

by Cindy Lindstrom

There will not be a get together in December and January because of the holidays. We may be changing the monthly game night starting in February. A suggestion was made for a Friday game night. So let’s try the second Friday of the month, starting February 14 from 6pm to 8pm. Valentine Day’s Dominoes and Dinner.

Please email Cindy with interest and/or questions.

Mah Jongg

by Cheryl Robins and Susan Muhm

American Mah Jongg is a tile game loosely based on the original Chinese version. Players use the tiles to make hands, chosen from an official card that changes annually. We play at 1:00 pm on the first four Mondays of the month.

Dec 2 Trisha Johnson

Dec 9 (Holiday Party) - Cheryl Zents

Dec 16 - TBC

Men’s Breakfast Group

by Dave Hull

The Breakfast Group meets on alternate Tuesdays at 9:00am at Biscuits on Mercantile Drive in Lake Oswego. It is a time for camaraderie, good food, and just catching up. This month, the breakfasts are:

December 3 
December 17
December 31

If you would like to be added to the mailing list, please email me. I will send out a email the Sunday morning before our next breakfast.

Men’s Discussion Group

by Marc Bond

Our next meeting is Tuesday, December 10, 2024.

The Men's Discussion Group is coordinated entirely by email. It meets at the home of Chris Jacobs.

For more information, contact Marc Bond via email.

Undaunted Saunterers

by Perry Esterson

The ‘Undaunted Saunterers’ walk every Wednesday with members taking turns to find walking destinations, leading the walks, and arranging for a congenial lunch spot. We are now in our winter walk season and some examples include walks along the Tualatin River in old West Linn, the Portland inner harbor, George Rogers, and Foothills riverfront trails. Contact Perry Esterson for more information.

A crisp, sunny day for 4 intrepid saunterers (Ron Gatzke, Warren Saltz, Gary Crumley and Joe Savage) to wander Tualatin Hills Nature Park for 4.5 miles followed by a wonderful lunch at Caspian Kebab.

Contact Perry Esterson.

Singles Dining Divas

by Sharon Harvey

The Single Dining Divas have two events each month.  Each dinner is hosted by a Diva member in their home. One of the monthly dinners is hosted on the second Tuesday of each month, and the second is designated by the host.  That designated host Diva chooses from Brunch, Lunch or Dinner as their preference, as well as the date. All of our Diva members take turns hosting the monthly gatherings in their homes and should be able to accommodate at least 10 people. The host sets the menu and provides the entree; guests bring the side dishes, desserts, and beverages designated by the host.

If you are a single Diva and are interested in joining our fun group for home-hosted potluck meals,  contact Sharon Harvey.

Wine Enthusiasts

by Joanne Nowak

As Oregonians and Wine Enthusiasts we truly celebrate the fact that the Willamette Valley is the epicenter of world class wines. Marla and I are often contacted by many Newcomers to name some of our favorite wineries that created a special tasting for our group, with panoramic views, reasonable tasting fees, personable and knowledgeable staff, and lastly good wine. Here are just a handful of the wineries that checked those boxes: Monksgate, Avidity, Cristom, Holloran, Elk Cove, Deponte Cellars, David Paige, Bjornson, Bryn Mawr, and Cougar Crest Tasting Room in Lake Oswego did a wonderful event for our group.

I must mention these two that are in our area: Pete's Mountain Winery and Villa Catalana Cellars, both we have been to more than a couple times.

Joanne and Marla

Contact Joanne Nowak

Bocce Ball

by Dave Hull and Carole Hull

Each Friday afternoon in the summer we meet at Foothills Park in Lake Oswego at 3:00 for an hour and a half of Bocce followed by Happy Hour. It is a great time to meet with friends and enjoy a bit of friendly competition. A sign-up email goes out every Tuesday evening for the following Friday. A Thursday email will disclose teams and the playing schedule.

The 2024 Bocce season concluded the end of September.

If you are not currently on the email list and would like to join the group for 2025, please send an email to one of these addresses:

Frequent Walkers

by Sher Ireland

Get Fit! Join in with frequent walkers in getting a little more fit. We walk at least 5 days a week for about an hour each time in the L.O., West Linn, Tualatin, and Tigard areas.

Contact Sher Ireland.

Weekly Walkers

by Sherry Kuntz

The weekly walkers meet on Tuesdays at 9:00 am and walk for one hour. During the summer and in clear weather, we walk in various parks; in the winter and cold and wet weather, we walk in the Washington Square Mall. If you wish to join us, contact Sherry Kuntz.

Pétanque is Happening!

We have a small group of members who are learning to play Pétanque (American style) from the president of the local Pétanque Club. They meet on Tuesdays from 11:00 -12:30 to learn about the game, practice play, and receive coaching on throwing/ strategy. This unique opportunity will be available until the end of December. The location is Millennium Park in Lake Oswego. Eventually, we would like to form a playing group within Newcomers. Unless it is downpouring, we play (gloves and hats are encouraged). Please contact Nancy O’Neill if you would like any additional information.