Newcomers of San Antonio

News from The President

News from the President

Welcome, 2021! May you treat us better than 2020!

I hope you had an enjoyable, if low key, Christmas. With the new vaccines, we will hopefully be able to get out more soon!

Looking ahead, it is getting close to the time to select next year’s board. It’s hard to believe this year has gone by so fast!  Being a board member offers unique opportunities to get to know other members in a small group setting while doing the important work of keeping this organization going. The Nominating Committee will meet in February, so please let Cindy Richards know if you are interested in a position or willing to be on the Nominating Committee. The description of each position can be found elsewhere in this newsletter!

If you have seen any minor changes in the ByLaws, please contact Sue Ellen Smith. The ByLaws committee will be meeting in January.

Our next coffee will be on January 21 at Carole Laubach’s home.  Remember, all activities are voluntary, and all COVID guidelines will be in place. No one will be offended if you are still not going out. We want to stay as vibrant and inviting as we can!  We are looking forward to our coffees and luncheons growing again.

Until then, stay safe and keep well!

Margaret

News from the President

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Time seems to be passing so slowly this year with all of the cancellations. We, at Newcomers, are trying to offer some opportunities for those who do want to get out. Keep in mind, all health directives are followed and all of the events are strictly voluntary.

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving and are looking forward to some positive events for Christmas, no matter how isolated or small. Looking forward to a Happy New Year!

We look forward to seeing you at our holiday luncheon at Chama Gaucha along with your spouse or significant other on December 3. The whole array of food will be served for the regular price of a luncheon…and there will be a surprise dessert!

Coats, hats, gloves, socks, and blankets will be collected at the luncheon and December coffee at Lorraine Verhagen’s home. These will be distributed to the homeless through our various charities.

If you haven’t heard, we have three new Interest Groups…Lunch Bunch has been revived, Puzzlers is in full swing and Genealogy will begin in January. I also am delighted to announce that Cherie Masters has volunteered to be the leader of Soldiers Angels, a group many of us enjoy helping out.

Stay safe, but have some fun over the holidays! And enjoy “winter” in South Texas!

Margaret
President

News from the President

Hello November! As the smell of pumpkin spice and cinnamon fill the air, November is the perfect month to reflect on the year and give thanks for all of the wonderful blessings we have. Veterans Day is just around the corner on November 11, so be on the lookout for various events throughout Military City USA to honor the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces who protect and keep us safe. 

November has a full month of fun Newcomers activities to enjoy! Our directories are out, so if you haven’t gotten yours at a coffee or luncheon, reach out to Cindy Richards to get yours. There is also an online version on our website, NewcomersofSanAntonio.org in the Members Corner with the password Welcome1819.

It is exciting to let you know that we have three new Interest Groups. Carol Palazzo is resurrecting Lunch Ladies now known as Lunch Bunch! We are so happy to have this back as we have missed it so much! Carol is also hosting a new group on Genealogy. Kay Hedeen has started another group called Puzzlers! For all jigsaw lovers. Please refer to the eblast sent out last week for details or elsewhere in this newsletter. We are still in need of a leader for Soldiers Angels. This is such a worthwhile group, I would hate to see it disappear. They are not meeting in person at this time but there are important messages that need to be forwarded to the group. Please step up and take over this great group!

More members are coming out to the coffees and luncheons as the quarantine is getting longer! We hope to see you there, if you are not in a high risk group!

November is also the month of Thanksgiving. We hope you enjoy seeing your extended family and friends!

And don’t forget to vote!

Margaret. Kidd

President

News from our President

Welcome to October and along with it, cooler weather at last! Being in the 90’s may not seem cool to many, but it sure beats the 100+ temperatures we have been enduring.

Hopefully, this month things will open up a bit more without a rise in cases. Our luncheons and coffees have returned, and all that attend are happy to see one another and to be out!. It is good for those who want to see friends!

On Friday, October 2, we will have the Interest Group Showcase. This will be held virtually at 11:00. You can see for yourself the numerous activities Newcomers enjoys. A formal invitation, with log-on instructions, will be sent!

Our next coffee will be held at Carol Palazzo’s home. See elsewhere in this newsletter for the address and directions. 

With it being National Pizza and Popcorn month, it is good that it is also National Cholesterol Month. Time to get it checked!

This has been a strange year! Unfortunately, National Night Out for Texas has been canceled as well as trick or treating being curtailed. I feel sorry for the little ones who are missing so many of the “normal” things in life, but we must stay safe. The last day to register to vote is October 5, if you haven’t already done so. Early voting begins October 13.

Stay safe and stay well!  I hope to see many of you soon, either in person or virtually!

News from the President

Welcome to September! Another month of high heat and staying home. The good news is that many of the Interest Groups are continuing their meetings on Zoom so that people can meet and interact. At least two groups are starting to meet in person as the pandemic lessens. There is also talk we will have our IG Showcase in the near future since we can’t do it at a luncheon.

The August luncheon saw a number of our members in attendance. The comment I heard most was that it was good to be out and seeing friends again! We will have the September luncheon at Luce’s and look forward to their fabulous Italian food. The social hour will start at 11:30 instead of 11:00. These are voluntary functions, so if you don’t feel safe, there is not a need to come out. However, there are quite a few of us who are ready to get out of the house!

All social distancing and health protocols are always in place.

The new printed directory will be distributed at the September luncheon as well as at coffees.  We are aware that many of them will have to be mailed. So, don’t worry, you will have your directory soon. Cindy Richards has done an outstanding job of preparing it. It looks great!

We have a lot to look forward to…the weather will soon be cooler, and it’s just over 100 days until Christmas!

Stay safe! Stay well!

Margaret

News from the President

Since we are in the dog days of summer, we can at least stay cool inside even if we can’t venture too far outside.

I am delighted with the new 2020-2021 Board. We have already begun the work of leading our organization. To get to know them better, their biographies can be found in this newsletter. Let anyone of us know if you have questions or suggestions. We are always open to new ideas, especially for new Interest Groups.

At this time, we are looking for new leaders for Community Involvement, our very worthwhile charitable contribution, Girlfriends one of the more well-attended groups, and Chicks and Flicks. If you are interested in stepping up to take over either of these groups, contact Marcia Blalock, crusaway@yahoo.com.

For those of you who are ready to get out and do something, our August coffee will be at Kay Hedeen’s lovely home on August 13. All safety precautions will be in place so it will be a safe place to catch up with old friends. Attendance, of course, is voluntary.

Another opportunity, again only for those of you ready to get out, will be our monthly luncheon on September 3rd at Luce Ristorante e Enoteca with wonderfully delicious Italian food. There will be no Interest Group tables, but the annual printed directory will be distributed. Again, all safety precautions will be in place.

Stay safe and keep cool!

Margaret Kidd
President

News from the President

Welcome to the Newcomers of San Antonio (NOSA) new year! I am delighted to lead our group in this uncharted territory. Hopefully, we will be past lockdowns, social distancing and wearing face masks everywhere we go very soon! We’ve had a few changes to our Board since last we spoke. Some of our member’s lives, responsibilities have changed, whatever reason we always do our best to accommodate! Cindy Richards will become 1st VP Membership, Sharon Gehr is our Ambassador, and Lynne Govers will be working with Elvira Teal making our coffees a wonderful experience. Thank you to all of these Ladies.

The coffee scheduled for Thursday, July 17 has been canceled! 

Our monthly luncheons will hopefully restart on August 6th (details in this newsletter). Again, feel free to come if you would like to socialize, or stay at home if you are not ready to get out yet. 

We have a fabulous board this year and many plans for fun things to do. I feel humbled to be your president and just hope I can fill Sue Ellen’s shoes who have carried us forward for the past two years.

The renewal period is now over, but we have had almost all of our members renew. We know what a fun group this is!

Looking forward, we will have the Interest Group showcase at our September luncheon. Interest groups will begin meeting again when the leaders are comfortable getting together. If there is a group you have been interested in but have not joined, September is the time to get acquainted with them and sign up!

Stay safe! Stay well!

Margaret

News from the President

A special thank you.

As the Newcomers of San Antonio 2019-2020 calendar year comes to an end, I thank you for a fun-filled year, and the many wonderful memories we made. I look forward to an exciting new year making more memories and having even more fun times.

Special thanks go to the outgoing Board for contributing their time and talents; the Interest Group Leaders for organizing enjoyable and sometimes unusual outings and activities; hostesses for opening their homes for our monthly coffees and the co-hostesses for providing delicious sweet and savory treats. Another thanks goes to the Nominating and Auditing Committees for diligently completing their tasks. Also, thank you to our Community Involvement Team, who presented us with giving opportunities.

Best Wishes to the new Board members. With their strong leadership, Newcomers of San Antonio is sure to continue to be a vibrant and inviting organization in the years to come.

Bloom Where You Are Planted,

Sue Ellen Smith

President

News from the President

I hope you are doing well and staying healthy. I am at a loss for words! Whoever expected us to be in lockdown for five weeks and going strong. Thank you to our innovative group leaders who are taking advantage of Zoom to meet with their fans and stay in touch. I am sure their members greatly appreciate it!

Obviously, we’re not having our May Luncheon, and our June Luncheon is on hold. Hopefully, the Governor and our Mayor have something positive to share, and we will all be together again soon!

As May 1 approaches, it’s time to renew your membership. Thank you all for your loyalty to our organization. Without you, we would not have this wonderful organization to have so much fun! Margaret and Lauren have been working diligently to make sure the process of renewing your membership online is in full working order. Membership renewal begins on May 1.

May is such a wonderful time of the year with the bright green trees, somewhat cooler weather and beautiful flowers – the colors that are showing are beyond belief! The sky is so blue! I am happy to be able to enjoy it all.

On May 6, you will receive the voting information for the Slate of Officers for 2020 – 2021. If you have any changes or concerns, you can email me at sesmith25@gmail.com. We’re still looking for a newsletter editor. 

My thoughts are with all of you and your precious families. Stay safe and be well. 

Lots of Love,

~ Sue Ellen

News from the President

No joke….April fools has taken on a whole new meaning. I am sorry we don’t have anything on the calendar. I thought you might enjoy knowing which of our members are celebrating birthdays and who our new members are.

I know we have all been spending a lot of time doing things that are unusually different! I have heard from many of you through notes, Facebook and phone calls. I know we all miss that we are not able to visit each other in person.

As of Sunday, it is clear that the April Luncheon and Coffee are canceled and now the May Luncheon is canceled. Maybe…just maybe, we will be able to have the May coffee. If all else fails, we might have a social distancing party in a parking lot with sack lunches, just to say Hello!

Let’s keep our fingers crossed that our warm spring temperatures will help destroy COVID-19.

You are all in my prayers. I know Newcomers is changing a bit in how things are done. We could try to have Zoom/FaceTime Happy Hours and Book Club? I’m open to any other ideas?
 

Stay safe, stay home, and if you need anything, please let me know,

Sue Ellen