More than just a motto, this phrase for years has been the guiding light of the Lake
Oswego Newcomers Welcome Club. What better way to get to know the people in your
new home than to team up with them in support of our community?
Holiday Luncheon Celebration
December 11, 2025
Join us for a festive holiday luncheon featuring the talented Lakeridge High School
carolers, led by their accomplished director Bill Campbell.
The Lakeridge High School carolers are celebrated for their harmonious voices and
lively choreography, adding energy and warmth that captures the spirit of the season.
Their performances at our holiday luncheons have become a tradition that guests truly
enjoy.
During this event, you will have the opportunity to enjoy wonderful company, a delicious
meal, holiday shopping and the uplifting music and dance presented by the talented
students from Lakeridge High School. Their enthusiastic presentation is sure to fill the
room with joy and festive cheer, creating an unforgettable holiday experience for all
attendees.
We hope to see you there!
VENUE
Hilton Garden Inn (formerly the Monarch Hotel)
12566 SE 93rd Avenue, Clackamas, Oregon
503-652-1515
SCHEDULE
11:00 am
Holiday Bazaar and Bake Sale / Social Hour
12:00 am
Lunch
1:00 pm
Program begins
2:00 pm
Event Ends
MENU CHOICES
All selections include choice of field greens salad or Caesar salad, fresh rolls and butter.
Coffee and tea service. Soft Drinks are not included. There will be a NO-Host BAR available to
purchase alcoholic drinks and soft drinks.
CHICKEN SKIZZLE - Roasted airline chicken breast in a apple brandy cream sauce, linguica,
garlic mashed potato, Chefs roasted vegetables.
You must register by noon on Sunday, December 7 at noon.
To register, and indicate whether you are bringing a guest, click or tap this button:
PAYMENT
You may pay online by clicking or tapping this button or you may bring a check made payable to Newcomers
Welcome Club.
CANCELLATION
If you need to cancel, contact Nancy Jacobson
or Sarah Martinez ASAP. If no one can take your
reservation, you are responsible for the cost of the lunch.
Growing up in San Francisco, Christmas Eve was a special occasion spent with my entire family.
The evening centered around a traditional tamales dinner and brought together my Abuelita, uncles,
aunts, and cousins. While the cousins would often complain about attending; we often ended up all
together in a back room. Years later, at a reunion we realized that those gatherings became the
memories we cherished most.
Much like those family gatherings, our Club offers many opportunities for members to come
together, form meaningful connections, and create lasting memories. The December Luncheon is a
perfect example—a wonderful chance to meet new people, enjoy good company, and celebrate the season
in a joyful atmosphere.
The Newcomer’s restaurant and program coordinators plus the philanthropy team are diligently
preparing an exceptional Holiday Luncheon and Holiday Boutique with returning vendors.
Additionally, members are busy baking an assortment of delicious treats for our bake sale for you
to enjoy and share. All proceeds will be donated to Hunger Fighters of LO. We have reserved the
ballroom, so we encourage you to bring your spouse or guest to this festive event.
To really get into the holiday spirit you might want to attend one of the festivals in the area.
Check your community’s park and recreation websites for details. To name a few and other websites
for events:
Our Holiday Boutique and Bake Sale at the December 11th luncheon is just around the corner!
Sales will begin at 11:00 and will continue through the luncheon. Come prepared with cash or
checks please…some vendors may take credit cards, but many may not.
We have a wonderful line-up of skilled artisans and crafters selling stylish gifts for friends,
family, or for you to “gift yourself”. They will be quite an array: jewelry, glass art, wooden
pieces, fabric art, soaps, greeting cards, custom art and much, much more. Vendors contribute a
percentage of their sales - up to 100 percent in some cases - with proceeds going to Hunger Fighters
Oregon.
Our volunteer bakers are bringing yummy treats for our Bake Sale and still have room for more.
Let me know if you have not signed up and want to help! There will be cookies, cupcakes, cakes,
sweet and savory breads, candy and other treats. Something to tempt every palate! Again, proceeds
go to Hunger Fighters.
We will also have a silent auction (details TBD), and we will also provide an envelope on each
table for those who may wish to make an additional donation to Hunger Fighters.
This has been a tough year for many and the number of people relying on food pantries is
growing. Hunger Fighters has seen an increase of 22 percent in guests served, and the current
suspension of SNAP (food stamp) benefits has accelerated the growth. The community has
responded with increased food donations from schools, churches, civic organizations and
individuals. The amount donated this year is 46,158 pounds, with another 80,910 pounds of
food gleaned from local grocery stores and farms, for a total of 127,068 lbs so far this year.
Newcomers Club members have donated 624 pounds in 2025.
Philanthropy is an important mission of NWC, and we have been very successful this year in
supporting Hunger Fighters. Thank you all for your generous donations and support of our
fundraising activities. We have made a positive difference in the lives many people in our
community.
The purpose of Heart to Heart is make friends and help others by group volunteering at local
outreach organizations in the Portland area. We would ideally like to have a group volunteer event
monthly. We had our first meeting on Thursday, October 30, 2025.
We have two volunteer opportunities
for November at Family Promise in Tigard that we have decided to participate in. We assembled activity
kits for the children to have activities over the holidays.
On Tuesday, November 25th, we will be decorating the Family Promise dining room for their
Thanksgiving dinner celebration.
On Friday, December 12th, we will be helping the Elks Club of Tualatin by packing up toys and food
for families from the donations they received.
If you are interested in joining the group for
future volunteer events, please contact us.
Thank you
Welcome to Newcomers Activities
by Barbra Crumley (barbracrumley@gmail.com, 925-785-1142) 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. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Is there an activity you would like to see in our club? Let us know. We will work with you to make it
happen including arranging for a co-leader and mentoring. Some of our newest groups include Canasta, Ladies
Cooking Class and a Women's Discussion Group.
Do you enjoy Friendship Luncheons?
by Nancy O'Neill
In order to continue to make them happen, we are in need of two new leaders to head up
this activity and facilitate new groups. It does not require a lot of time. We encourage
co-chairing so that it allows for backup and sharing of time. Carol Jo and Lissa have done a
great job the last three years and are ready to pass the baton. If you would like more
information or are willing to help out, please contact Nancy O’Neill.
Thank you,
Nancy
Help Wanted: Co-leads for Friendship Luncheons, Saturday Night Socials, & Single Dining Divas
Calling all new members! Newcomers strives to welcome and support all members by providing social
gatherings to meet and support each other. In order to make this happen, we need new leaders to coordinate
these activities. It is a great way to assimilate into the organization, and training and support are always
provided.
We encourage co-leadership because we understand our members have other commitments with family, travel,
personal time, etc. Partnership can share the load. Have you met someone in the club you’d like to get to
know better? Reach out and ask if they’ll partner with you. If you are interested, we have job descriptions
for your review that include the estimated time commitment.
A huge thanks to members who have been leading these activities for many years. Now it’s time for a
second string to help out and lead us into the future. If we do not have anyone to step up to help with
these activities, we will no longer be able to provide future new members a referral into these groups.
WE are successful because of YOU! Thanks for your consideration. If you are interested in helping out,
please contact Barbra Crumley (925-785-1142,
barbracrumley@gmail.com) or
Nancy O'Neill
If you enjoy volunteering, please contact Sally Roach to serve lunch at the community center
located at 505 G Ave, Lake Oswego. We serve lunch on the 4th Monday of each month from 11:00 am to
1:15 pm, and we'll be doing this during the summer months as well. We set tables, serve lunch, and
clean up. Volunteers receive a delicious, free lunch! We are a very flexible group so it’s not
necessary to serve every month.
Board meetings
Monthly NWC board meetings are on the first Thursday, at 10am, located at the Lake Oswego Adult
Community Center. They are open to members. Simply notify the president
(darlenec.nwc@gmail.com) in
advance that you wish to attend.
Our members
New members
We welcome our new members:
Georgia Bushman moved from Norwalk, CT
Christine and Vaughan de Kirby moved from San Anselmo, CA
Lisa and Kirk Greiner moved from Tigard
Nick Jarmer moved from Portland
Karen Spiro from San Jose, CA
Marie Abara from Westlake Village, CA
December birthdays
Click here for a list of birthdays.
Sunshine cards
by Nancy Jacobson
Send a little sunshine to someone, in the form of a card. Email their name, address, and why they need a bit of cheering up to
Nancy Jacobson.
Photos &Travel
Photo Album
by Ed Sawicki
All of the photos that have appeared in the online newsletter for the past year are now in our Photo
Album. All future photos will be there as well. The photos are organized by event name. For example,
the photos from the September 2025 Luncheon are in the Luncheons section.
Click or tap this photo to go to the Photo Album, and listen to the audio tutorial. Then, click or tap
Luncheons, followed by October 2025 to see the other photos from the October Luncheon.
Group leaders: Send your photos, with captions if possible, to Ed Sawicki. Please ensure that the people
in your photos are agreeable to having their photo in the Photo Album.
NWC Travelers
by Ed Sawicki
NWC Travelers is a photo album for NWC members who have traveled to interesting places.
This month, Lynn Pappas shares some of her photos of Sicily. Click or tap the photo to see more of
Lynn's photos.
If you have photos or short videos of your travels, send them and their captions to me.
For December we’re having a cookie exchange. Each participant will bring 36 homemade cookies on
a platter and containers to collect 36 new cookies. Instead of serving utensils we will provide
disposable gloves.
We’d like to include the recipes in a cookbook to sell at the December 2026 Luncheon.
The cookie exchange will be on December 5th at 1pm. Sign ups will be by e-blast a week after
the newsletter is published.
We’re still looking for someone to teach a class in January. If you’re interested please contact
Mary or Susan.
Women's Discussion Group
by Sharon Samson
Engage, Inspire, and Explore… A group discussion is a structured exchange of ideas among
participants aimed at sharing insights and perspectives. The most engaging discussions often touch
on themes that are relevant in everyday life: education, technology, history, current events,
ethics, diversity. The group will offer suggestions for prospective topics.
If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Barbra Crumley
(barbracrumley@gmail.com, 925-785-1142).
Enjoy getting to know other members in a small group setting. Prospective, new members and current
members are cordially invited to coffee to hear more about the Newcomers Welcome Club.
Due to the holidays, there will be no Coffee & Conversation in December. Stay tuned for details of
our next meeting in the January newsletter.
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.
The December Saturday Social is on December 20, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and is hosted by
Sherry & Ron Kuntz. Please RSVP to Sherry at 503-860-9813 (voice or text) or email at skuntz421@msn.com.
Hosts Wanted: If you'd like to host a social at your house in 2026, there are openings for
January, February, April, May, October, and November. Please contact Merryl.
Do you have too many friends? Of course not! No one has enough friends, so this activity may be
for you!
Newcomers Friendship Luncheons offer the opportunity for you to develop new and lasting
friendships in a quieter setting.
Our format is for 4-8 ladies to meet monthly, rotating homes. Each host prepares a casual meal
or selects a restaurant, with each member paying for her own meal. Groups set their own meeting day
- for example, second Tuesdays - so that members can keep those calendar dates clear.
Happily, there are many ways to socialize with Newcomers and these smaller gatherings are
perfect for getting to know each other better on an ongoing basis. Please contact me when you wish
to be part of the fun.
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 8 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 interested in joining our fun group for home-hosted potluck meals,
please contact me, Sharon Harvey.
The SDD group is currently searching for a new co-ordinator. If this position is of interest to you,
please contact Sharon Harvey.
My final email for 2025 is filled with lots of gratitude to all of you, enthusiastic members of
our wine group. It is because of your passion and appreciation that Marla and I will continue to
be intrigued and curious in trying to search out wineries that check all of these boxes (1)
allowing at least 25 + of us to attend (2) have a price point less than $30 a tasting (3) offer red
and white wines (4) have an interesting story to tell (5) is no more than a couple hours of drive
time (6) the bonus would be a spectacular view. The latter is not hard to find in this beautiful
part of our state.
With all that said, we are always grateful when members give us suggestions of a winery that
they think we should all try and go to, so keep those ideas flowing our way.
Marla and I want to wish all of you and your families the happiest of holidays.
In this chaotic time we live in I wanted to end with this quote from Benjamin Franklin,
“wine makes daily living easier, less hurried with fewer tensions and more
tolerance.”
Amen and Cheers,
Joanne and Maria
SeniorNet
by Ed Sawicki
SeniorNet helps keep you safe on the Internet and helps with your technological challenges.
Look for the recently-added article titled, Are you being tracked?
WashCo Fun is a coed group for all members of LONWC, and the spouses
of WashCo Fun members. Our activities in Washington County include an
event and a meal at an area restaurant. To join and participate in
future activities, contact Joyce Porter. Your Welcome letter will list
upcoming WashCo Fun activities, an optional preference Questionnaire,
and a list of fellow WashCo members.
Upcoming events include a holiday theater performance Play in December, and a visit to the
Pinball Museum in February. Please let me know if you have questions or need more information.
We enjoy reading novels, memoirs, biographies, historical fiction, and history as we gather
with a glass of wine and a bite to eat and discuss the book of the month.
Bagels and Books is Newcomers newest daytime book club. We read novels and historical fiction
and gather to nosh and discuss the book. Meetings are held the third Friday of each month from
11:00-1:00. Members take turns hosting, selecting books, and leading the discussion. The group is
currently full.
On December 1, our book club will have their annual Holiday Celebration luncheon for book club
members. Members should bring a wrapped used book for our annual gift exchange. Details about the
luncheon location will be emailed to members. If you would like more information about our book
club, please send your name and contact information to Anne at dantzighome2@yahoo.com.
Memoir is really anything that impacts your life. We all have life stories. Each session
we hear family memories, humor, poetry, musings and more. We don’t teach writing.
We just read our stories and actively listen to others.
Our group meets by Zoom on the first and third Wednesday of the month from 10:00 to noon.
Each week, members share a 5-7 minute piece followed by positive feedback from the
group.
December meetings are December 3 and 17. Members will get a link a couple of days before.
If you are interested in joining the group, or would like more information, please contact
Linda Morris or Carol Jo Bays.
The Bunco group will meet at the home of Sherry Kuntz on Thursday, December 18, 2025 at 12:00 noon.
If you are unable to attend, please contact Sherry by email or by phone with the name of your sub.
We usually play this 5-deck Canasta game called "Hand Foot & Tush" on the 4th Wednesday of the
month, at 11:00 AM. Due to the upcoming holiday, THIS MONTH, we will be playing Canasta on the 3rd
Wednesday, December 17, 2025. We ask players to bring their own lunch and the hostess to provide
drinks.
Please email Judith Davies if you are interested in playing. If you are a new player she will send you the rules
and guidelines. Looking forward to seeing you!
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.
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 2 December 16 December 30
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.
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 looking forward
to the fall foliage and return of rain to the PNW.
Contact Gary Crumley for more information.
Walking & Sports
Frequent Walkers
by Sher Ireland
503-620-1500
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.
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.
December Calendar
Newcomer's events are also available in an alphabetized list format via:
Social & Classes
Ladies Cooking Class
by Susan Slovacek and Mary Costa maryctoo@comcast.net
For December we’re having a cookie exchange. Each participant will bring 36 homemade cookies on a platter and containers to collect 36 new cookies. Instead of serving utensils we will provide disposable gloves.
We’d like to include the recipes in a cookbook to sell at the December 2026 Luncheon.
The cookie exchange will be on December 5th at 1pm. Sign ups will be by e-blast a week after the newsletter is published.
We’re still looking for someone to teach a class in January. If you’re interested please contact Mary or Susan.
Women's Discussion Group
by Sharon Samson
Engage, Inspire, and Explore… A group discussion is a structured exchange of ideas among participants aimed at sharing insights and perspectives. The most engaging discussions often touch on themes that are relevant in everyday life: education, technology, history, current events, ethics, diversity. The group will offer suggestions for prospective topics.
If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Barbra Crumley (barbracrumley@gmail.com, 925-785-1142).
Coffee & Conversation
by Birgit Woodward
birgitwoodward@gmail.com
Phone: 626-590-1465
Enjoy getting to know other members in a small group setting. Prospective, new members and current members are cordially invited to coffee to hear more about the Newcomers Welcome Club.
Due to the holidays, there will be no Coffee & Conversation in December. Stay tuned for details of our next meeting in the January newsletter.
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.
The December Saturday Social is on December 20, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and is hosted by Sherry & Ron Kuntz. Please RSVP to Sherry at 503-860-9813 (voice or text) or email at skuntz421@msn.com.
Hosts Wanted: If you'd like to host a social at your house in 2026, there are openings for January, February, April, May, October, and November. Please contact Merryl.
Friendship Luncheons
by Carol Jo Bays
cjbays503@gmail.com
Do you have too many friends? Of course not! No one has enough friends, so this activity may be for you!
Newcomers Friendship Luncheons offer the opportunity for you to develop new and lasting friendships in a quieter setting.
Our format is for 4-8 ladies to meet monthly, rotating homes. Each host prepares a casual meal or selects a restaurant, with each member paying for her own meal. Groups set their own meeting day - for example, second Tuesdays - so that members can keep those calendar dates clear.
Happily, there are many ways to socialize with Newcomers and these smaller gatherings are perfect for getting to know each other better on an ongoing basis. Please contact me when you wish to be part of the fun.
Single Dining Divas
by Sharon Harvey
smharvey50@gmail.com
408-609-3430
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 8 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 interested in joining our fun group for home-hosted potluck meals, please contact me, Sharon Harvey.
The SDD group is currently searching for a new co-ordinator. If this position is of interest to you, please contact Sharon Harvey.
Wine Enthusiasts
by Joanne Nowak
nowakjzn@aol.com
503-655-4163
My final email for 2025 is filled with lots of gratitude to all of you, enthusiastic members of our wine group. It is because of your passion and appreciation that Marla and I will continue to be intrigued and curious in trying to search out wineries that check all of these boxes (1) allowing at least 25 + of us to attend (2) have a price point less than $30 a tasting (3) offer red and white wines (4) have an interesting story to tell (5) is no more than a couple hours of drive time (6) the bonus would be a spectacular view. The latter is not hard to find in this beautiful part of our state.
With all that said, we are always grateful when members give us suggestions of a winery that they think we should all try and go to, so keep those ideas flowing our way.
Marla and I want to wish all of you and your families the happiest of holidays.
In this chaotic time we live in I wanted to end with this quote from Benjamin Franklin, “wine makes daily living easier, less hurried with fewer tensions and more tolerance.”
Amen and Cheers,
Joanne and Maria
SeniorNet
by Ed Sawicki
SeniorNet helps keep you safe on the Internet and helps with your technological challenges. Look for the recently-added article titled, Are you being tracked?
Visit the SeniorNet page for details.
WashCo Fun
Washington County Fun in Beaverton and Hillsboro
by Joyce Porter
portjoy24@gmail.com
860-209-2060
WashCo Fun is a coed group for all members of LONWC, and the spouses of WashCo Fun members. Our activities in Washington County include an event and a meal at an area restaurant. To join and participate in future activities, contact Joyce Porter. Your Welcome letter will list upcoming WashCo Fun activities, an optional preference Questionnaire, and a list of fellow WashCo members.
Upcoming events include a holiday theater performance Play in December, and a visit to the Pinball Museum in February. Please let me know if you have questions or need more information.