2017-2018 Anne Rautio Anne became a member in 2015 and is still a member to this day. The things that stood out for Anne the most was the sense of welcoming and finding friends. She enjoyed learning many interesting things about the city she lives in. Anne feels that Newcomers gives her a sense of belonging and purpose. During her time of presidency, the club grew rapidly, especially after the website was up and running. In December 2017 the club membership was 233, with 21 Interest Groups. Luncheons averaged between 70 and 100 people. The Club at Sonterra, Silo at 1604, Maggianos and The Dominion Country Club were some of the restaurants that were popular back then.
Favorite outings included a tour of the Majestic Theater and the Scottish Rite Cathedral. At the January 2018 luncheon, guest speaker Dr.Paul Ringenbach lectured on the process of the San Antonio Missions being recognized as a World Heritage site. Some of the notable changes during Anne’s presidency included: supporting Soldiers Angels charity, changing the club year to end in June instead of May, and the addition of technology (using the website as our primary recruitment tool, using Outlook, using Go Daddy to ensure privacy and the first electronic directory was introduced ). In 2018 San Antonio celebrated its 300th Anniversary so Anne published a special column in the newsletter for activities going on throughout the city. Anne enjoyed her time as President and was happy to contribute to Newcomers of San Antonio.