February Luncheon

Our luncheon guest speaker is Paula Gangopadhyay, the CEO of the Pittock Mansion. Paula will share the Mansion’s history and plans for the future. Come and learn about one of Portland’s historic landmarks.

DATE

February 13, 2025

You must register by noon on February 9, 2025

VENUE

Dang's Thai Kitchen
670 N State St
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
503-697-0779

SCHEDULE

* The restaurant doesn't open until 11:30.

COST

$25 per person, including gratuity

LUNCH

Lunch includes black jasmine tea. At the end of the event, a boxed dessert will be passed out for you to take home. Please pick one of the five plated entrees listed below. All are rated "heat=mild":

1. Vegetables with Cashew Nuts and TOFU served with Steamed Rice - Vegetarian
2. Garlic and Pepper Beef served with Steamed Rice
3. Mussamun Chicken Curry served with Steamed Rice
4. Pad Thai with Chicken
5. Fried Rice - Kao Pad (Thai Style) with Chicken

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

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

You may pay online by clicking or tapping this button:

...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 one can take your reservation, you are responsible for the cost of the lunch.

President’s Message

by Sandy Esterson, NWC President

Good News!! It is that time of year to start thinking about how you can expand your life and make it even more exciting and busy than it presently is! We have some exciting openings on the board for next year. We are a friendly and helpful group, present members will help you “ learn the ropes” of board membership and the “how to” of each available position. Job descriptions are also available to peruse on the website. Besides helping run our club, it is a great way to establish friendships and meet many new and interesting people.

Certain directors jobs may require a level of computer literacy and organizational skills. Talk with Alicia Rossini or Susan Gray about available positions and they will help match up your skills with Board positions. It’s a great opportunity, please don’t pass it by!! Our club needs you!

On another topic, once again get ready for a fun Philanthropy event this Spring to support our charity, Hunger Fighters. Those ladies really know how to throw a party, don’t miss out! More information to come!!

Best wishes,

Sandy

Think About Joining Our Board!

The following positions are presently available for the 2025-26 Newcomers year. Our year begins in July.

Executive Board

President

Vice President

Secretary

Director Positions

Activities

Programs

Restaurants

Directory

Newsletter

Please contact Alicia Rossini or Susan Gray for more information.

Nominating Committee

A nomination committee has been formed to begin searching for new board members for the 2025-2026 year. The committee establishes the slate of candidates which will be voted on in May. It is not too early for you to think about volunteering for a position.

What better way to get to know fellow members than to work beside them on the Board. It is a team effort to coordinate all the activities of the Club. Join in and please think about who you would like to nominate for a Board position and who you would like to work with. A great way to serve your Club. Contact one of the members of the Nomination Committee with your nominations: Susan Gray, Alicia Rossini, Darlene Conklé, Nancy O’Neill, Barbra Crumley, or Lark Wysham.

Per Bylaws: The governing board of the Club shall consist of these elected Officers: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These positions constitute the Executive Board. Directors constitute all other positions on the Board. These positions include: Directors of Activities, Membership, Philanthropy, Programs, Luncheons, Reservations, Webmaster, Directory, Publicity, Newsletter, Eblast Coordinator, Mailing Coordinator. All positions may be shared.

Note: All position descriptions are on the website.

February birthdays

New calendar

by Ed Sawicki

As the newsletter editor, I’m the keeper of the newsletter calendar. Keeping track of the dates and times of the dozens of NWC events is a big job. The information is coming from a dozen or more people at different times. To make this task easier, I created EZ-Cal.

You can access it using your phone, and it’s easy to read. It’s our most up-to-date calendar. Those board members who have used it have said:

“Nice! Easy to use”

“It looks great...This will be very helpful.”

“This is amazing.”

“Incredible! So much functionality.”

You can access it here: https://lonwc.com

Tap the EZ-Cal button.

Philanthropy Committee News

by Barb Brannon

At the January Luncheon at Nicoletta’s, we had an Italian-themed raffle basket that was created by Brenda Henderson. Raffle ticket sales raised $240 for Hunger Fighters and Ann Billig was the lucky basket-winner.

It is time for us to identify the charity that NWC will sponsor next year, and we need to your help! In April, the Philanthropy Committee will propose three charities for consideration to the Board and, if approved, the names and descriptions of the three charities will be sent to all NWC members for their vote. The charity with the most votes will receive all the donations we collect from 1 July 2025- 30 June 2026.

To propose a charity for consideration, please forward the name and a brief description to Barb Brannon, brannonbarb@yahoo.com by March 1. Guidelines for selecting our charity include: 1) charity has a local presence and impact 2) charity is not already heavily supported by grants and major sponsors and 3) charity is not related to a specific disease, i.e. Parkinson’s Disease or Diabetes. These guidelines were developed to help us choose a charity that can really benefit from our efforts and that will have broad support from our members. If there are volunteer opportunities for members, that is a bonus.

We held two major fundraising events last year, a Mardi Gras party and Tapas & Trivia. They were tons of fun and raised a lot of money for charity. We are discussing possibilities for another fund-raising event this Spring and perhaps again in early Fall. This is a “developing story” and stay tuned for more information in next month’s newsletter!

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.

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 fourth Monday from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm at 505 G Avenue, Lake Oswego.

Welcome to Newcomers Activities

by Barbra Crumley and Nancy ONeill

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 wait list for another book group.

New group: SeniorNet!

by Ed Sawicki

There's a new group that we've named SeniorNet that's for people of a certain age who have difficulties with and have questions about technology. It's going to offer discussions, advice, and training on topics like staying safe when using your computer, tablet, and phone on the Internet.

Check it out here: SeniorNet. Tap the SeniorNet button.

WaCo Fun

Washington County Fun in Beaverton and Hillsboro

by Joyce Porter

WaCo Fun enjoyed it’s first Meet and Greet on January 21 in Beaverton. The icebreaker was: What Brings You Joy?

All Newcomers are welcome to join and enjoy events in Washington County, in or near Beaverton/Hillsboro. At least monthly, we’ll enjoy a variety of activities which may include Bowling, Bingo, Cultural events and festivals, Dining, Game Nights, Movies, Music in the Park, Walks, Wine Down, and more!

If interested, please contact Joyce Porter.

Reading Between the Wines

by Barbra Crumley

Our lively book club combines our love of books with a happy hour theme. 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!

If you're interested, contact Barbra.

NWC Travelers

by Ed Sawicki

NWC Travelers is a photo album for NWC members who have traveled to interesting places. 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 Barbra Crumley and Nancy ONeill

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.

The February Saturday Social is on February 15, 2025 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and hosted by Carole and Dave Hull.

Coffee & Conversation

by Darlene Conklé and Karol Burke

Prospective, new members and current members are cordially invited to coffee to hear more about the Newcomers Welcome Club. Enjoy getting to know other Newcomers in a small group setting. We meet on the fourth Friday of the month at 10:00 am, at various locations. Mark your calendar for February 21st.

Please email Darlene Conklé by February 21st, if you wish to receive an invitation and location where we will be meeting. Any questions, contact Darlene or Karol.

Friendship Luncheons

New Groups Forming NOW!

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 it tight). Each hostess prepares a casual meal for the group, or selects 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 that everyone can mark their calendars ahead.

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

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

Next meeting: Monday, Feb 10, 2025, 10:00 am to noon

Book: Be Ready When The Luck Happens: A Memoir
Author: Ina Garten
Presenter: Sue Moore
Location: The Windward Apartments Community Room
130 A Avenue, Lake Oswego

RSVP to Sue.

Memories to Memoir

by Linda Morris

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.

February’s meetings are Feb 5 and Feb 19. Members will get a link a couple of days before. I will be traveling in February, so Carol Jo Bays will send the link. I will participate if possible.

If you are interested in joining the group, or would like more information, please contact Linda.

Bunco Afternoon #1

by Sherry Kuntz

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

Date/Time: Thursday, February 20, begins at noon.

The Bunco group will meet at the home of Nancy Shebel.

If you are unable to attend, please contact Nancy by email or by phone with the name of your sub.

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, February 12, at 7:00 pm

Hostess: Jeanie Baldwin

RSVP to Jeanie.

Dinner and Dominoes

by Cindy Lindstrom

February 14 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Valentine Day Dominoes and Dinner.

Please email Cindy with interest and/or questions.

Mah Jongg

by Cheryl Robins and Susan Muhm

Happy Lunar New Year! On January 29th we welcome in the Year of the Snake. The snake is said to symbolize wisdom, transformation and calmness. You can read more information here: Lunar New Year 2025: A Guide to the Year of the Snake.

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 new card is ready to be ordered from the National Mah Jongg League. The cards are mailed at the end of March and we'll begin using the new 2025 card in April.

Feb 3 Cheryl Robins

Feb 10 Nancy Jacobson

Feb 17 TBA - Please email Susan or Cheryl if you can host on this date.

Feb 24 Brenda Gilman

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:

February 11
February 25

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

On December 10, 2024, we held our Discussion Group hosted by Chris Jacobs and facilitated by myself. The topic was: Given the significant results of the recent federal election, what has happened to the Democratic Party? What do they need to do to reinvent themselves to be a viable political force? 15 people attended. The discussion was very insightful and everyone contributed with good ideas. As it was the holiday period, we made the event more festive with food and drink.

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 Gary Crumley

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 Gary Crumley for more information.

Phil Shipkey passed away on January 6, 2025 from medical complications from Hepatitis B. He was instrumental in organizing the Undaunted Saunterers, recruiting members to lead saunters, maintaining the list of members, and generally cajoling us to participate. As Gunnar Sedleniek remarked, “We’ve lost a dear friend, a fellow Saunterer and leader, and at 61 years of age far too young to be taken from us.” He will be sorely missed.

Gary Crumley will be taking over the “administrative” duties for the group.

Poker group

by Gary Crumley

Some of the guys are interested in resurrecting the once popular poker group and are looking for more men to join. Games would be played in participants' homes once a month. Please contact Gary Crumley if interested, and/or you have questions.

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.

Next event: February 15, 2025, 2:00 pm

Here's a photo of the Divas at their January get-together at Sarah's house.

Wine Enthusiasts

by Joanne Nowak

February, the month of wine and roses, hearts and chocolates. What a lovely month tucked in the middle of wintery blasts of cold, wet and sometimes ice and snow! At this time Marla and I are still confirming a wine event for our group so just look for something to be delivered to your emails soon.

The benefit of describing wines in specific terms adds to the enjoyment and appreciation of the wonderful world of wines. Please take a moment to think about the following info when you sniff and sip your next glass of wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cab Franc—berry, mint, black pepper, bell pepper, olives, asparagas and soy( in older wines)

Pinot Noir—berry, vanilla, buttery, spicy, strawberry jam

Sauvignon Blanc—floral, fruity, cloves, asparagas, citrus, peach apricot, petrol

Chardonnay—pineapple, spicy, vanilla, butter, fruity

Zinfandel—black pepper, raisin, soy, berry, vanilla

Joanne and Marla

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.

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.