Join us for an exciting afternoon filled with fabulous fashion, delightful cuisine, and
wonderful friendship. This year, our highly anticipated annual fashion show will take
place at the Willamette Country Club in Canby. Be captivated as six lovely models
showcase the latest spring fashion styles, accessories, and gift items from pig’ments
Boutique. Owner Judy VanDeGraff will serve as our MC, guiding us through this stylish
event. As an added bonus Judy will be offering discount coupons to all attendees and
also provide a raffle item from her store:
Pig’ments Boutique
333 S State St F,
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Schedule
11:00
Social/Start Hour
12:00
Lunch is served
12:45
Fashion show begins
2:00
Event Ends
Venue
Willamette Country Club
900 Country Club Place
Canby, OR 97013
Deluxe Salad Buffet
You can build your own salad, choosing from Caesar, Greek, and mixed greens with candied walnuts and blue cheese, then add Roasted lemon butter salmon or Grilled rosemary and garlic chicken. Refreshments and baked rolls included.
Cost
$50.00 each. Includes gratuity.
Registration
You must register by Thursday, March 26, 2026 at 5:00pm.
You must be a member to register. Click or tap this button. You may be asked to login using the username and password that was emailed to you:
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 (503-422-1694) or Merryl Sawicki (503-381-4194) ASAP. If no one can take your reservation, you are responsible for
the cost of the lunch.
Thank You,
We are grateful to Mary Kleffner, one of our members who is affiliated with the Willamette Country Club, for
graciously sponsoring our Spring Fashion Show event.
Spring is finally here! The days are longer. The sky is bluer. The sun is shining (more). April showers bring May
flowers…and April flowers too. Flowers are emerging everywhere. I think Spring is the most beautiful season and, as
Robin Williams said, "Spring is nature’s way of saying, Let’s Party!” I feel like partying, do you?
Newcomers Club offers many opportunities to party and there is something for everyone to enjoy: a monthly
luncheon, a book club, a walking group, Wine tasting, Saturday Socials, games (Bunco, Canasta, Bocce, Mah Jongg), golf,
Friendship Luncheons, volunteer projects and more. Almost any activity can be a party with food, friends and good
conversation. Who could ask for more? If you want more, you can start a new group! Newcomers changes as members
interests change.
When I moved to the area late in the pandemic, there was not a lot to do socially for newcomers in Portland. Really
nothing. Thank goodness, the next year I met someone who recommended Newcomers and Voila! Life got much more fun and
interesting.
As a new member, I was invited to take a Board position as Activities Co-chair. I was very hesitant but ultimately
“persuaded”, assured it was the best way to meet people and get involved. And it has been.
I have now come full circle and am on the Nominating Committee, reaching out to invite members to serve on the
Board. We have many positions available including co-chairs, which is a great way to get started. If you get a call, I
hope you will embrace the opportunity to serve. It is fun and rewarding and you would be working with a great group.
Barb Brannon
NWC Vice President
Looking for volunteers!
by Barb Brannon, Nominating Committee Chair
We are looking for volunteers to serve on the 2026-2027 Newcomers’ Club Board
A nomination committee has been appointed to begin the search for new Newcomers’ Club board
members for 2026-2027. The committee will be compiling a slate of candidates for the Board’s approval in
April, and the elected officers’ positions will be voted on by the general membership in May. There are
many opportunities to serve!
Becoming a Newcomers’ Board member is a wonderful way to get more involved in the club, and the
Board is an enjoyable, collaborative team that gets things done. If you are a new(ish) member, a board
position is a terrific way to get to know other members. Many
of the open positions are for a “co-chair,” which is a good way to ease into a new role.
We have openings for the following positions for our 2026-2027 Board:
Elected officers
Co-President
Vice President
Non-elected Directors
Activities Director
Co-Eblast
Heart to Heart
Co-Philanthropy
Program
Restaurants (2)
Co-Programs
Co-Reservations
All position descriptions are found on the website at www.newcomerswelcomeclub.com at the bottom of
the home page under Member’s Corner. (non-password-protected).
If you would like to serve on the Board, or have someone to nominate, please contact one of the
members of the Nomination Committee: Barb Brannon, Sherry Kuntz, Nancy O’Neill, Lisa Reiser, or
Birgit Woodward.
Happy April! It has been a busy time for Philanthropy committee members as we identify
three charities to consider for NWC sponsorship for 2026-2027. Our process starts in January
when we ask the Board, club members and committee members for suggestions. Philanthropy
committee members then review the charities to look at their mission, annual impact report,
distribution of funds and volunteer opportunities for club members. They also contact a member
of the leadership team and may arrange a site visit. It takes time, but “due diligence” is
important when choosing a charity. We will create a short-list of three to present for Board
approval at the April meeting. The final step is to EBlast a ballot with the three candidates to all
club members. Please watch for the EBlast ballot and cast your vote! The charity that receives
the most votes will be announced in May. All donations will be directed to that charity starting 1
July 2026 to 30 June 2027.
Speaking of donations, we are planning our first big fundraising event of the year, a Cinco de
Mayo party! We will celebrate the day with favorite Mexican dishes and lots of treats. Of course,
there will also be wine, beer and Margaritas! So mark your calendars and save the date. The
fiesta will be on Sunday, May 3rd from 4:00pm-7:30pm at the home of Dan and Judy Meyer’s in
West Linn. Since we may need to party indoors (May is such a tricky month weather-wise) we
must limit the number of guests to 32. Tickets are $65 each with all proceeds going to Hunger
Fighters. Reservations open beginning Friday, April 17, 2026. Just email or text me to get on the
list brannonbarb@yahoo.com or (703)973-5486. We will establish a wait-list as needed. If you
would like to help with the party, let me know. We can always use more hands…
Susan Muhm, one of our Philanthropy Committee members, is moving to Washington State to
be closer to family. We all understand the pull of family, and we will certainly miss her. Thank
you Susan for your great work on the committee! We now need a couple more committee
members and hope you will consider joining us. Contact me for more information or to
volunteer.
We are an inclusive group of women and men who 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, The
Cooking Club, and a Women's Discussion Group.
Heart to Heart is an inclusive group of men and women who enjoy getting together once a month to be part of a project
for a non-profit organization in the Portland area. We like to pick an organization each month that needs group enthusiasm
to tackle projects that their limited staffs don’t have time for. Our projects might include decorating or assembling,
sorting and organizing donations. If you are interested in finding out more about our group or would like to sign up to be
a volunteer contact either Mary Chancellor or Nancy O’ Neill.
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 11:00am to 1:30pm at 505 G Avenue, Lake Oswego.
Monthly NWC board meetings are held on the first Thursday, at 10:00am, at the Lake Oswego Adult
Community Center.
Board meetings are open to members. Simply notify the president in advance that you wish to attend.
New members
by Lynn Pappas and Sue Moore
We welcome our new members:
Jessica Fern from Cleveland, OH
Jean Marglous from St. Louis, MO
Sally Personett-Booth from Los Gatos, CA
April 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.
Photo Album
Ed Sawicki
The NWC photo album has photos of the February Luncheon at the Lakewood Theater on State Street in Lake Oswego.
Click or tap this photo collage to go to the NWC photo album.
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
Ed Sawicki
NWC Travelers is a photo album for NWC members who have traveled to interesting places.
In February, Edisa and Sarah traveled to Abu Simbel, Egypt. Click or tap this photo to visit the photo album.
Edisa and Sarah in Abu Simbel, Egypt
If you have photos or short videos of your travels, send them and their captions to me.
Women's Discussion Group
Joan Seitz
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 relevant to everyday life: education, technology, history, current events,
ethics, and diversity. The group will offer suggestions for prospective topics.
The group has co-leaders Sharon Samson and Joan Seitz. If you are interested in joining the group, please
contact Joan.
We invite you to connect with fellow members in a small group setting! Both prospective and current members are
warmly encouraged to join us for coffee and learn more about the Newcomers Welcome Club of Lake Oswego.
Join us on the fourth Friday of the month at 10:00am. The specific location will be announced closer to the date.
Be sure to mark your calendars for Friday, April 24, 2026, for a wonderful morning of connection and community!
If you'd like to receive an invitation and details about the meeting location, please email Birgit Woodward by
Monday, Apr 20.
Saturday Night Social
Merryl Sawicki
The 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. The usual routine is to
bring an appetizer to share and your own beverage that is not shared.
This month's social is on April 18 at the home of Candace McMunn. Please RSVP to Candace at:
The Cooking Club replaces the Ladies Cooking Classes. Our March meeting will be a dinner on Friday, March 27, at 6:30pm at Susan
Slovacek's home. Mike will prepare Cajun appetizers, chicken and sausage gumbo with your choice of rice, sweet potato or potato salad, and pecan
pie. Nothing will be spicy. Mike will discuss the recipes during dessert and provide a vacuumed bagged dry roux for your first gumbo.
We’re looking for hosts for April, May, July, and August. If you’re interested in joining this group, attending the March dinner, or hosting a
future event, please contact Susan.
The Single Dining Divas is a group that get together bimonthly for a meal together. There are two events each
month, the second Tuesday and the fourth Saturday. The designated host Diva can choose from either Brunch, Lunch or
Dinner. Divas can opt to host in their homes or at a restaurant. For home events, the host sets the menu and provides
the entree; guests bring the side dishes, desserts and beverages designated by the host. For restaurant events, the
host makes the reservation for the group and each guest pays for their own meal. It is up to the host on the number of
people attending.
If you are a single Diva and interested in joining our fun group, please click on the link below, follow the options
and complete the requested information. The Single Dining Divas Coordinator will then contact you to confirm your
participation and add you to the distribution list. If you are a current Diva member and wish to sign-up for an event,
please click on the link below and follow the options. Dates will be removed from the sign-up list below as they are
taken.
Newcomers Welcome Club Friendship Luncheons offer you the opportunity to develop
new and lasting friendships in a quieter setting. There are eleven active groups, with members
enjoying each other's company each month.
Our format is for 4-8 ladies to meet, 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. Please contact me when you wish to be part of
the fun.
"WINERIES R US" If you have an interest in wine, panoramic views, fascinating stories, friendly like-minded people
then the Wine Enthusiasts activity group is for you.
My name is Joanne Nowak, and I have been a leader, researcher, communicator, planner, reservation taker, and red and
white wine drinker for a couple of decades now, and I am beyond grateful to Marla Kleinman, who stepped up to me maybe 10
years ago, and asked if I needed any help. YES, I shouted, grabbed her, and I haven't let go. (She really meant
it!!! ) I am beyond grateful to her for her energy, humor, sense of discovery, and love of wine. Fast forward to today,
and "my partner in wine" and I are still finding it rewarding, enjoyable, and downright fun to introduce all 100+ of you
to new and at times, obscure wineries that maybe you have never heard of or been to before.
If you are not already on my email list, then reach out and let me know that you wish to be included in my invites
each month. As I mentioned, we try to explore a winery, shop, or wine bar each month. The newsletter articles will
contain little tidbits of wine knowledge, but the "real deal" on the "who, what, where, and when," will be
in an email each month. So check your emails often. I try to write and send them around 8am on a Sunday at the
end of the month for the coming month. BE READY TO RSVP if you want to join us.
Here's to Oregon, one of the top wine regions in the US.
Cheers
Joanne and Maria
SeniorNet
Ed Sawicki
SeniorNet helps keep you safe on the Internet and helps with your technological
challenges. Welcome to the new world of the Internet, where trust is more difficult than ever.
This month, there's an article on how to create your own QR codes.
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.
In March we enjoyed brunch at Thirsty Lion, and a matinee performance of Agatha Christie’s Mouse Trap in Tigard.
In April, we will enjoy Brunch and a matinee performance of Steel Magnolias Matinee in Hillsboro.
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 on the fourth Tuesday of each month.
The next meeting is on April 28 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm.
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 on the third Friday of each month from
11:00-1:00pm. Members take turns hosting, selecting books, and leading the discussion. The group is
currently full.
Our April book is A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School by Carlotta Walls
LaNier. Our meeting is on April 13 from 1:30 - 3:00pm. If you would like more information about
our book club, please contact Anne at Dantzighone2@yahoo.com.
Book It Forward meets on the 4th Monday of each month at 10:00am. We collect both new and used adult and children’s books to
donate during the holidays. Our fun and lively book discussions include all genres, suggested by each month's member host. For
more information on how to join, please contact Claire Vaeth.
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 Wednesdays of the month from 10:00 to noon.
Each week, members share a 5-7-minute piece followed by positive feedback from the
group.
April meetings are on April 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.
The Bunco group will meet at the home of Nancy Shebel on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at
12:00 noon. If you are unable to attend, please contact Lynn with the name of your sub.
We will be playing this 5-deck Canasta game called "Hand Foot & Tush"
every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. This month's game is
on Wednesday, April 8 and April 22 at 11:00am.
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.
Please email Judith Davies if you are interested in playing and would like to join our group.
If you are a new player she will send you the rules and guidelines.
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 1:00pm on the first four Mondays of the month. Please contact
Cheryl or Susan if you have any questions or would like to be added to our group email list.
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:
April 7
April 21
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.
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 9:00am 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.
Our May to September golf season starts with a planning meeting on April 17 at 10am at Starbucks Coffee, 18900
Willamette Drive, West Linn, OR to discuss the upcoming schedule. We are a group of mostly women who meet weekly to
play 9 holes and socialize afterward. Skill levels range from beginners to “very good”.
We welcome all members who wish to join us to connect and enjoy the beautiful PNW weather! If you plan to attend
the meeting or want further information, please contact Lisa Reiser at reiser5@icloud.com.
