Newcomers of San Antonio

News from the President

News from the President

June marks the official start to summer and the end of our NOSA fiscal year. That means I only have 30 more days to be your president! WOW! It has been an honor to preside over such a wonderful organization whose goal is to welcome newcomers to San Antonio. We sure have fun in the process! Check out our Facebook page to see some of the latest activities including our cruise to Mexico!! Thank you ALL for bringing us through a worldwide pandemic by connecting with each other in every way. I especially want to thank my Board of Directors as your love, hard work, support, and friendship has meant everything to me

If you are new to San Antonio, I sure hope you have felt our welcome! Our coffees and luncheons are wonderful times to check us out. Please reach out to our leaders any time you have a question. 30+ interest groups are back up and running (unless taking off for summer). Thank you, leaders, for providing so much fun that we literally could be busy making friends any day of the week!

Reminders: Our annual renewal period goes through June 30th, so be sure to renew today if you have been putting it off. After July 1st, the annual renewal fee will go up to $35. Renew by filling out a short form and then paying your fee here: https://www.newcomersofsanantonio.org/renewal-membership/

You may notice that we have no luncheon posted. That is because we do not schedule a July luncheon. We will have one on the first Thursday in August so stay tuned!

Your 2022-2023 Board begins their service on July 1st and I know you will be in great hands! From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU to all who served this year in any capacity and to all who will be serving next!! Y’all make it possible for us to Bloom Where We are Planted!

Blessings,

Cindy

News from the President

Happy May y’all!

So much fun is happening this month including our long-awaited cruise!!! Contact Marcia Blalock if you have any questions. Our May 5th Fashion Show luncheon and hat contest is soon underway so remember to wear your hats and post your photos afterward on our Facebook page.

May is the time for membership renewal! Be sure to renew by June 30th to get the $30 rate as it goes up July 1st. To Renew, go to our Newcomers’ Website and find the Membership tab on the top right. Using that tab, click on Renewal Membership 2022/2023 to pay your $30 dues. Fill out the short form and submit; then scroll to the Yellow Pay Now button. You may pay by credit card, PayPal or Zelle. (Note: If you are not yet a member, please use the New Members tab)

Looking ahead: Our June Luncheon at The Menger will be an amazing year-end meeting. Our Board Elections occur at this luncheon and below you can review our slate of nominees.

See the newsletter to find out what our 30+ interest groups are doing this month and note that some schedules/locations have changed. And, as always, if you have an idea to lead your own activity, please contact michelleplazek@gmail.com and she will get you started!

Enjoy this beautiful May weather as you Bloom Where You are Planted!!

Cindy Richards – President

Our 2022-2023 Slated Nominees:

Board of Directors – Executive Officers:

President: Carol Palazzo

1st VP Membership: Susi Baylis-Powell

2nd VPs Luncheons: Christine Martin, Sandy Garrett

Recording Secretary: Cindy Herda

Treasurer: Cindy Kittle

Parliamentarian: Mary Ann Svetlik

Board of Directors – Appointed Officers:

Ambassadors: Erin Schaefer, Margaret Abbott

Coffee Chairs: Lucy Robinson, Kay Hedeen (will also have a sub-committee with helpers)

Interest Group Coordinator: Michelle Plazek

Opportunity Drawings: Alene Lindley, Jill Crump

Publicity: Erin Schaefer (will also have a sub-committee with helpers)

Reservations: Suzy Van Alstyne (handles reservations for luncheons), Roylene Babb (name-tags for luncheons)

Newsletter/Webmaster: Continue to hire Lauren Smith unless a member experienced with Web steps up.

News from the President

Spring has truly arrived, and I love gardening again!! I wish you a Happy Easter and Viva Fiesta! It’s also April Fool’s Day today and I’d love to hear how you prank your friends and family! Send your stories to me for Facebook publication. You can find us on FB at https://www.facebook.com/groups/228687243811677/about Here’s an easy prank I plan to try: Put a small piece of tape the color of your victim’s TV remote sensor. Have fun watching them try to turn it on or change channels – hehe!!

I hope you have the chance to enjoy the wonderful parades and activities that Fiesta has this year!! It’s finally back in full swing and you can learn the history and mission here. Contact Mary Jane Chisholm momjane6@gmail.com to purchase parade tickets (see newsletter article for more details).

Carol Palazzo carolapalazzo@gmail.com has been busy getting nominations for next year’s board and still needs YOU for a few key positions, so be sure to contact her to nominate yourself to our fun-loving board. We will present the slate of officers at the May 5th Fashion Show Luncheon. (election and installation take place at June Luncheon.)

For this May 5th Fashion Show Luncheon at the Dominion Country Club, all attendees are encouraged to dress up and don your derby or Mother’s Day or Fiesta hat to join in the fun! You could even win a prize!! Our Fashion Show will include members who have volunteered to walk the runway in style! We may have a couple of spots left so contact Michelle Plazek michelleplazek@gmail.com if you want to walk the runway too!

Who loves to cruise? This May 13-18 we cruise to Mexico. May 2023, we cruise to Alaska! Contact Marcia Blalock crusaway@yahoo.com for more details.

Almost every day has activity this month and our membership has climbed to pre-covid numbers! I pray you all enjoy a Happy Easter. Thanks for truly making it easy to Bloom Where You are Planted in San Antonio!!

Cindy

News from the President

Happy Mardi Gras!! Can you believe it’s March 1st?

This month marks the beginning of Spring as well as 2 years since the start of the pandemic lockdown. There have been numerous moments throughout these past two years where I was sure we were past it until another strain reared its ugly head. But, Newcomers of San Antonio has been resilient not just to survive, but to THRIVE! I am so proud of all of you for the many ways you have thrived to help the mental well-being of our members through one of our toughest times in recent world history. According to studies, having friends and activities helps our well-being more than we’ll ever know. We have not only sustained almost every Interest Group, but we have added 11 more: Blessing Bags, Creative Adventures with Barbara, Fork & Wine, Genealogy, Hiking, Knit & Crochet Fun, Line Dancing, Lunch Bunch, Pickleball, Puzzlers, Supper Club, and the return of Wine & Spirits Tasting! Mah Jongg and other groups have expanded!

So, kudos to all old and new interest groups alike for not only surviving, but thriving!!

To continue to do so, we need great leaders in each board position and I am pleased that so many new members are stepping up to get involved on the next board! We would love to have even more of you so please fill out your survey and contact me or Carol Palazzo if you would like to be nominated for a position on the 2022-2023 Newcomers of SA Board of Directors.

Looking Ahead:

Our May 5th Luncheon at the Dominion will include our very own Fashion Show emceed by Lynne Govers. Because of the pandemic, we will model our own clothes. Several of you have already stepped up to be models and I still need about 5 more so contact me if you are willing to model your own Spring outfit on May 5th. It’s going to be so fun!! Also, I encourage all to dress up and don a Derby/Easter/Mother’s Day hat which always adds fun fashion flair. You could win a prize for the best hat!

Our May 13-18th Royal Caribbean Cruise from Galveston to Mexico still has cabins available so contact Marcia at crusaway@yahoo.com for more info.

Enjoy the promise of new beginnings this Spring as you Bloom Where You Are Planted in this great city of San Antonio!

Much love,

Cindy

News from the President

Happy New Year Newcomers of San Antonio!!! We are past all the holidays and about to embark on a brand-new year full of possibilities. Are you one who makes a list of New Year Resolutions?  My resolution for Newcomers is that all feel welcome to the party!  We all play a part in this but as you’ll see from the Outstanding Member of the Month column, we do best when we do it together! My board sure showed this last month by the countless hours they put in to pull off our fabulous 40th Anniversary Luncheon.  Be sure to see the photos captured at that event here: https://danaann.passgallery.com/-_projects_22614785/gallery 

While things tend to slow down in January, Newcomers certainly has a full calendar, so for those looking for fun and friendship, I hope to see you out at the luncheon, coffee or at your favorite Interest Group offerings this month! Also, don’t forget to call Marcia Blalock to reserve a cabin to join us on the high seas for our May 13-18, 2022 cruise. 

Do you enjoy planning events? We are looking for volunteers to plan an April Fashion Show, so contact any board member if you are interested in working on this committee.

And, as always, if you don’t see your favorite activity offered, please know YOU can start a new group!!  That’s how we best Bloom Where We Are Planted.

Have a wonderful start to a healthy and happy 2022!! 

Cindy 

News from the President

Christmas is my favorite time of year! I feel like a little kid when I see the twinkling lights, the nativity scenes and the giving spirit everywhere I go. Newcomers is no exception! Contributions for Blessing Bags items and Community Involvement’s Toy Drive have been pouring in! It’s not too late to join in: Dec 2nd may be the Toy Drive cut-off but Blessing Bags & Mobile Loaves and Fishes will take Hats, Gloves and socks all winter long! Contact their Interest group leaders for how to give. Toys can be brought to the December 2nd 40th Anniversary Luncheon. I look forward to seeing so many of you there as we celebrate Christmas AND 40 years of this fabulous Newcomers of San Antonio group.

Our last coffee of the year will be at Lynne Govers’ home at 10am on December 16th and judging from the large number in November, it’ll be quite the gathering! Come join the fun! No reservation is necessary.

If you find holidays to be a difficult time of year, please know we’d like to be there for you! Our new leader for Helping Hands, Marcia Blalock (crusaway@yahoo.com) wants to know any way we can help our members. Helping Hands is an important part of Newcomers where members help their fellow members with a meal or a ride or a home visit after a surgery or difficult life circumstance. Please let Marcia know if you or another member needs our help in this kind of way.

I hope you saw the e-blast about our May 13-18th Cruise! Marcia (crusaway@yahoo.com) is the one to contact to answer any questions and to ultimately book your cabin to sail to Mexico with us in May!

On behalf of my fabulous board, we’d like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas / Holiday Season and A Happy New Year!

Peace, Joy & Love,

Cindy Richards

President

News from the President

Welcome to Fall in San Antonio Y’all! While the weather doesn’t feel anything like Fall to me, seeing the kids go back to school sure does! And did you notice we are growing? I have met more new members this month than I met all last year. I applaud all who make our newest members feel welcome to our fabulous group. After a wonderful Interest Group Leader meeting led by our Coordinator, Michelle Plazek, I am bursting with excitement to spill the beans regarding our October 7th Luncheon highlighting our 30+ Interest Groups. (NOTE: our Interest Group Luncheon is a month later than in previous years) For the first time in 18 months, we will have a cocktail hour from 11 a.m. to noon as you stroll around the venue chatting, playing, munching and interactively getting to experience the activities each group has to offer. You can fill your complimentary bag with handouts and/or goodies from each table as you sip your drink of choice from the cash bar! Your leaders are so excited to share their activities with you that many are generously donating an Opportunity Drawing gift for this special occasion! Be sure to purchase those Opportunity Drawing tickets! At least 15 of you will go home with a prize! So, if choosing to gather, I hope you will make it a priority to join us for this October 7th Luncheon. By the time you read this, our Sept 2nd Luncheon at Silo will be upon us. Kudos to Jill & Christine for negotiating such an amazing menu even though food prices have skyrocketed this year!! It’s been no small feat finding restaurants within our budget and that require no minimums! Our brand new directories are hot off the presses and being given out at September 2nd Silo Luncheon and the September 16th coffee at Carol Palazzo’s home this month! Have someone attending pick yours up if you cannot attend.

A final note: While some of us have decided to stay away from gatherings, there are many that are finding the need to make new friends and be active again. I support each group leader deciding how to run their groups in this difficult time and ask that we all respect each other’s decisions on how to safely gather. When gathering in a private residence, it is up to the host to set the guidelines for their home. When we enter a restaurant, it is up to the restaurant owner. No one should feel pressured into participating, and I ask that no one ostracize those who are making decisions different than their own. My goal is to encourage each of you to bloom where you are planted in a friendly environment as you continue to make San Antonio your home.

Blessings,
Cindy Richards

News from the President

On July 4th, our nation is 245 years old! Have a safe and wonderful time traveling and celebrating with your family and friends. That is why there is no luncheon in July. Newcomers of San Antonio turns 40 this year! WOW! That is remarkable! Let’s find ways to celebrate our wonderful club all year long!!

I’d first like to thank our past NOSA leaders who birthed and nurtured this club to become what it is today. I especially want to acknowledge Sue Ellen Smith and Margaret Kidd for keeping this club up and running throughout the pandemic – not an easy task! Likewise, I’d like to thank and encourage our newly elected/appointed board and over 25 Interest Groups and their leaders who are hitting the ground running to keep our wonderfully diverse activities going strong. Six brand new Interest Groups were started DURING the pandemic!! Interest Groups are the backbone of our club and I believe you bettered the mental wellness for those needing to meet whether on Zoom or in person.

As your president, I am determined we welcome each newcomer as she joins us for fun and friendship. I humbly ask you to reach out and do so whenever possible. Together we can do great things to serve our community, support and welcome newcomers, and form lasting friendships as we explore, play and eat our way through San Antonio. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together in this 40th year of Newcomers of San Antonio. Let the celebrations begin!!

Cindy Richards

News from the President

It is said that all good things must come to an end. And this past year has been good, in spite of the pandemic, and this is the end of my monthly messages to you. It was good because our board met every month and continued with the work of Newcomers. Our interest groups continued to meet, some virtually, some face to face, and we added six new groups this year that are very active! We held luncheons each month, save one, and coffees each month except when snowmageddon interfered! So I think we had a good year as a group. A big thank you to the Board who worked tirelessly, to the Interest Group Leaders, to the Luncheon Chairs, to the Coffee Chairs, and to those who opened their homes for the coffees, and a huge thank you to all of you who have been participating all year. We could have thrown up our hands and quit everything, but we are stronger than that so we grew and flourished this year!

It is time to renew your membership for next year. You will find the form on our website. This year we are asking everyone to fill out the long-form so the interest groups membership will be correct. Dues have been held to $30 for the year. Renewal continues through June 30th. After that, dues will increase and there is a possibility that your information will not get included in the directory. Next year will be fabulous as there is an enthusiastic board who are full of ideas and energy. Please give them the same level of support you have given me!

So, the good year has come to an end for me but it is just the beginning of another good year for Newcomers! Have fun and enjoy each other!!!

Margaret Kidd

News from the President

Welcome to April! And I hope you have a very Happy Easter!

It is nice to have pleasant weather and to have restaurants and bars fully open! Vaccines are more readily available and it seems more and more of us are fully protected. So much different than the past year!

With that in mind, I’m hoping more and more of you will be able to attend our luncheons, at Tower of the Americas on May 6th and Meadow on June 3rd! Both establishments are extraordinary and we are fortunate that Pink has been able to secure them.

As for our coffees…we will have a redo of the snowed out February coffee at Sharon Gehr’s on April 15th and will be at Carole Palazzo’s on May 20th.

It’s difficult to believe we have survived and thrived this past year and it is almost time for our new year to start. Renewals will start May 1st and continue through June. The board is almost set for the new year, two chairwomen for the coffees are all that are needed.

Have a gorgeous spring and hopefully get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!

Margaret