Thursday, October 9, 2025

We are delighted to have Ginette DePriest as our speaker at our October 9th luncheon. She will share the journey she and her husband James experienced during their 30-year marriage. To commemorate their journey, their relationship and above all his exceptional musical abilities she authored a book titled REACH UP: My Beautiful Journey with James DePriest.

James DePriest transformed the Oregon Symphony during his tenure as music director from 1980 to 2003. He brought sensitivity, insight, and tenacity to the podium. He is admired and beloved by the Portland community for his immense contributions.

Beyond his formidable presence onstage, James is revered as a mentor and friend to countless musicians around the globe. Ginette’s perspective, shaped by years at his side, promises to illuminate the personal dimensions behind the public accolades, revealing how his passion for music became a source of resilience and inspiration. Her talk invites us to look beyond the notes and acclaim, and to consider the enduring power of partnership and perseverance in the face of challenge.

Ginette’s book, REACH UP: My Beautiful Journey with James DePriest, is available on Amazon and at various bookstores. She will be available for signings and may have copies of her book with her.

VENUE

Margarita Factory
10350 SW Greenburg Road
Tigard, OR 97223
971-319-6652

SCHEDULE

MENU CHOICES

1. Chicken Fajitas (w/ onions, bell peppers, tortilla, beans and rice)
2. Baja Fish Tacos (Grilled fish. Topped w/ cabbage, avocado, cucumber, pico de galloe)
3. Steak Fajitas (w/ onions, bell peppers, tortilla, beans and rice)
4. Live Fit Veggie Taco Salad in a Tortilla Bowl (Lettuce, black beans, rice, onions, etc).
5. Taco Salad (Ground beef, Rice, beans, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes)

Coffee, iced tea, and soda included. Alcoholic drinks are not included, but you may purchase them yourself.

COST

$33 per person, including gratuity.

REGISTRATION

You must register by noon on Friday, October 3 at noon. No exceptions.

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 Merryl Sawicki ASAP. If no one can take your reservation, you are responsible for the cost of the lunch.

President’s Message

by Darlene Conkle, NWC President

Dear Members,

I love October with its cooler weather, colorful landscape, and an opportunity to be creative. I’ve always looked forward to making costumes for my daughters and then my grandchildren. My grandchildren are old enough now to make their own or only require minimal assistance (continuing the tradition). It’s fun to dress up and remember days when we were kids, even if we just put on a mask or bake pumpkin bread.

“We do not cease to play because we grow old. We grow old when we cease to play.” George Bernard Shaw

Trying something new is a wonderful way to start new traditions. Check out some of our new activities. Special thanks go to Pam Pall, who has kicked things off by generously sharing her culinary expertise and providing her delicious Focaccia bread recipe. For those interested in games, Judith Davies is currently seeking players for Canasta—a wonderful way to connect and get to know one another. I also encourage new members to sign up to be in a Friendship Lunch Group (details in the newsletter).

The Philanthropy Committee is actively preparing for the upcoming Holiday Boutique. We invite all members who wish to showcase their talents to contribute arts and crafts for sale, with a small portion of proceeds supporting our designated charity, “Hunger Fighters.” Additionally, baked goods remain ever popular, so donations in this category are warmly welcomed.

We want to remind members to please check the online directory to ensure your contact details are accurate for the 2026 Directory. Including a photo is always helpful. Corrections need to be submitted to Linda Armstrong (lindaarms@gmail.com) by October 15th.

Our October luncheon will feature the author, Ginette DePriest, wife of James DePriest - Pioneering American conductor, National Medal of Arts winner and poet who was the conductor for the Oregon Symphony from 1980 to 2003. Her book titled: REACH UP My Beautiful Journey with James DePreist.

Looking forward to seeing you at the luncheon.

Best,
Darlene Conklé
President, Newcomers Welcome Club

Philanthropy Committee News

by Barb Brannon

As the days grow shorter, it is time to start planning our annual Holiday Boutique and Bake-sale! The event takes place at the December NWC Luncheon at the Monarch Hotel. For the Boutique, we are looking for club members and outside vendors to bring their creations to sell. If you, or someone you know, make craft items, jewelry, sculpture, pottery, fabric goods etc. and would like to participate, please reach out to Barb Brannon (brannonbarb@yahoo.com or (703)973-5486) as soon as possible to reserve space. If you would prefer to take future orders for custom work, you may bring samples and your order pad to the Boutique and we will save a place for your display.

Every year, our Holiday Bake-sale features a delicious assortment of homemade goodies - cakes, pies, cookies, candy and other holiday treats and also beautiful and edible table decor. If you would like to participate, please let me know what you can bring to our table.

Proceeds from the Boutique and Bake-sale will go to our designated charity, Hungers Fighters Oregon. We invite those who sell art and handicrafts at the Boutique to donate a portion of their sales and 100 percent of bake-sale proceeds go to the charity. This is one of our main fund-raisers for the year, and we always have wonderful things for sale and enthusiastic buyers.

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

LO Adult Community Center

by Sally Roach

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.

New members

We welcome our new members:

• Andrea Cabral moved from Eugene, OR
• John Gould and Judy Robertson moved from Portland, OR.
• Evelyn Poulo moved from Fort Worth, TX
• Bonnie Sidoff moved from Tualatin, OR
• Carole McDonald moved from Silverton, OR
• Donna Reeves moved from Santa Barbara, CA
• Cliff Morris moved from Big Arm, MT
• Frances "Baby" Kramer from Anaheim, CA

October birthdays

Membership Directory 2026

by Linda Armstrong

We are getting ready to print our Membership Directory for 2026. If you have any corrections or additions to your current membership profile, please email me by October 15, 2025.

Tap or click here to see current member profiles. You'll need a password to access this. The password was sent with the email that announced this newsletter. Please be patient, as the profiles page may take a while to appear.

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.

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 September 2025 to see the other photos from the September 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 has photos and videos of Hawaii during Hurricane Kiko. Click or tap the photo to see more.

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 us.

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.

Ladies Cooking Class

by Susan Slovacek and Mary Costa

Calling all cooks - Wednesday, October 29th 11am to 2pm

After Pam Pall’s wonderful focaccia class Mike Slovacek will teach us how to make tamales. This hands on class will include red chili chicken and rajas (poblano chili and Oaxaca cheese) tamales. Both are very mild. Each cook will prepare six tamales to take home. Written instructions will be provided (including recipes, where to find ingredients and online resources).

The first 14 to sign up will have cooking spots. The next four will have observation spots. All will enjoy a tamale lunch with traditional side dishes after the class. Please bring your beverage for the lunch.

Cost is $15 for cooks and $7.50 for observers.

Registration for October’s class will begin on September 29. Please email Mary Costa if you are interested. The first 14 to sign up will have cooking spots. The next 4 will have observation spots. (Responses received before the 29th will not be counted.) All attending will enjoy a tamale lunch with traditional side dishes after the class. Please bring your beverage for the lunch.

We hope to offer classes every other month starting in January 2026. If you’re interested in teaching a class or have a large kitchen and would like to host a class please contact us.

Here are the photos from the first cooking class in July.

Women's Discussion Group

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’re interested please contact Sharon Samson for details.

Coffee & Conversation

by Birgit Woodward

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.

We will meet on the fourth Friday of every month at 10:00 am, at various locations. Mark your calendars for Friday, October 24th.

Please email Birgit Woodward by Monday, October 19th, if you wish to receive an invitation and location where we will be meeting.

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 October Saturday Social is on October 25, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and is hosted by Deborah & Harold Linke. Please RSVP to Deborah at her phone.

Friendship Luncheons

by Carol Jo Bays

Newcomers Friendship Lunch Groups met mid-August at Carol Jo Bays’ house in Lake Oswego for an all-members-and-prospects pot luck. It was fun to reconnect with familiar faces, and to make new acquaintances. The ongoing monthly lunch groups offer the opportunity to develop new and lasting friendships in a quieter setting, perfect for conversation. The format is for the same six to eight ladies to meet monthly, rotating homes (or co-hosting if space it tight). Each hostess prepares a casual meal for the group (or selects a restaurant at which to meet, each paying for her own lunch). Groups set their own meeting day so that members 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!

Single 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 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.

Wine Enthusiasts

by Joanne Nowak

Did you know?? The Willamette Valley is the oldest wine region in the State of Oregon. It is 150 miles long, and two-thirds of the state's wineries and vineyards are located there. The state of Oregon has over 1,500 vineyards and a little over 1,000 wineries.

Pinot Noir makes up 60% of the state's production, followed by Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, which are distant second and third. 75% of Oregon wines are from the Willamette Valley, with its fertile area of rivers and rich ancient soil. Oregon is the #1 place to grow Pinot Noir in the US, with the Willamette Valley sitting on the 45th latitude, which is the same as Burgundy, France's Côte d'Or. In 1985, a group of New York wine critics voted our Pinot Noir wines higher than those from Burgundy, France, which cost 2 times as much. Join our Wine Enthusiasts as we explore some of our state's exceptional award-winning wineries.

Cheers,

Joanne and Maria

WashCo Fun

Washington County Fun in Beaverton and Hillsboro

by Joyce Porter

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.

WashCo Fun enjoyed Bingo and Wine in September at Oak Knoll Winery in Hillsboro. Upcoming events include an Indigenous People’s dance event in October, a ‘Wined Down’ in November, and a holiday theater performance Play in December.

Reading Between the Wines

by Barbra Crumley (925-785-1142, barbracrumley@gmail.com)

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.

October 28

Bagels and Books

by Lynn Chazin

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. If you are interested in joining, contact Lynn Chazin.

Tea, Cookies, and a Good Book

by Anne Dantzig

At our meeting on October 20th, we will discuss the book The Chancellor: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angel Merkel written by Kati Marton. Our book club meets the third Monday of each month from 1:30-3:00pm at a member’s home. The hostess provides refreshments and a brief synopsis of the author’s background and is also responsible for leading the discussion. Our book club is currently full; there is a waiting list. If you are interested in joining, please email Anne Dantzig to be added to our list.

From Memories to Memoir

Linda Morris and Carol Jo Bays

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.

October meetings are October 1 and 15. 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.

Book It Forward

by Claire Vaeth

We meet the 4th Monday of each month 10am-noon. Contact Claire for more information.

Bunco Afternoon #1

by Sherry Kuntz

The Bunco group will meet at the home of Nancy Jacobson on October 16, 2025 at 12:00 noon. 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, October 8, at 7:00 pm

Hostess: Lauren Hazelett

RSVP to Lauren.

Canasta

by Judith Davies

Join us to learn and play Canasta Hand Foot & Tush.

We will be playing this 5-deck Canasta game called "Hand Foot & Tush" on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 11:00 am. This is a fun game and easy to learn even if you have never played canasta before. This game requires 4 to a table and the hostess will determine how many tables there are room for.

The Hostess will provide their home and drinks. We ask players to bring their own lunch.

Locations will rotate based on participant’s availability.

Please email Judith Davies if you are interested in playing. If you are a new player, she will send you the rules and guidelines.

Dominoes

by Judith Davies

You are invited to join a new group to play Dominoes on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, starting October 21st at 12:30pm.

Drinks and a light snack will be provided. The time may change according to the wishes of those interested in playing. Please contact Judith Davies if you would like to play

Mah Jongg

by Cheryl Robins and Susan Muhm

It was a fun start to our Mah Jongg season with three full tables on September 8. 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.

Oct 6 @1:00 —Susan Muhm

Oct 13 @1:00—Sandy Esterson

Oct 20 @1:00—Linda Morris

Oct 27 @1:00—Nancy Jacobson

Hope to see you at a Mah Jongg table soon.

Cheryl and Susan

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:

Sep 9
Sep 23

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

The Men's Discussion Group is coordinated by email. For more information, contact Marc Bond via email.

The next discussion will be Tuesday, October 7 with a topic still to be determined.

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 looking forward to the fall foliage and return of rain to the PNW.

Contact Gary Crumley for more information.

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.

Wine, Women & Song

by Jean Ashby, Member

This will be an epic fundraiser event with amazing auction opportunities. It will be held on October 10, 2025. The drive to the venue should be quite scenic.

Click or tap the graphic below for more information and to buy tickets. Use your browser's Back button to return here.

Fundraiser for Family Promise's Bridge to Home

by Sher Ireland, Member

Several members of Newcomers are involved in producing a fun event to benefit Family Promise, a past philanthropy partner for Newcomers. The event is called "Home is Where the Art Is" and will feature the work of 18 artisans for sale along with gourmet treats also for sale. There will be continuous music of various genres throughout the event as well. The fundraiser will held:

Saturday, November 1st
Place: Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, 4040 Sunset Dr., Lake Oswego
Time: 10:00am to 3:00pm

Newcomer Sher Ireland is the organizer. She felt the need to help after Family Promise had funding cuts. Newcomers Nancy Kearsley, Julie Coari, Patti Gratzkie, Sandy Esterson, Barb Brannon, and Cheryl Zents will all be helping with this effort. All newcomers are invited to attend, pick up some holiday gifts, and enjoy the music while supporting efforts to house homeless families.