Newcomers of San Antonio

President

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

Whoever would imagine the circumstances we are still in! Almost a year ago we were told to isolate for two weeks and we would be fine! What a year it has been. Hopefully, with vaccines in greater supply and more readily available, businesses reopening we will be out of this soon. So, let’s look forward to next year. We will start renewing memberships the first of May and continue through June. Our new board will be elected in May and installed in June

Membership and Interest Groups continue to grow and meet, both virtually and in person. We continue to offer opportunities to our members including luncheons, coffees, girlfriends, bridge, walking, Pickleball, and an occasional On On The Road Again adventure! Everything is voluntary for those who are ready to get out and smell our springtime flowers!

Now that snowtopia is passed, we can look forward to nice warmer weather. I hope no one has any lasting damage from that terrible week!

We can look forward to Easter as a new beginning!

Stay safe and get vaccinated!

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 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

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

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

News from the President

Dear Members,

March is a great month for wearing green! Many celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and don’t want to get a pinch if they are not wearing green on the 17th! Have fun and be safe on this day of fun and frivolity!

A great way to connect with members and explore more of San Antonio is to join the Newcomers Board. The Nominating Committee is looking for your input as they search for candidates to join the Executive Board and Appointed positions for the new term starting July 2020.

Our bylaws encourage Board turnover and new member participation. Don’t be shy! Think of how you can contribute to this wonderful organization and let Margaret Kidd, VP of Membership know of your skillsets and interests. Her Nominating Committee is asking for Volunteers. A synopsis of each position can be found on the Join our Board page.

Anne Rautio and the bylaws committee have been busy reviewing our bylaws to see if we need to make changes to the existing bylaws. This will be discussed at our upcoming luncheon.

Join us on March 5, for our luncheon at Magianno’s Little Italy at The Rim. What a treat it will be! Please wear green and maybe some elf ears to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

A big thank you to Jill Crump and Pink Martin for finding so many hidden gems this year. Isn’t it fun to be able to sample the food at so many different and interesting restaurants?


Sue Ellen Smith

News from the President

Happy New Year! I can’t believe another year has flown by and we are off to a roaring start to the new year! During these colder months, I hope remembering the heat of the summer will keep you warm!

Thank you all for your generous donations, time, and energy that goes into making our wonderful philanthropies so successful. Both Soldiers Angels and Mobile Loaves and Fishes are very appreciative of your donations and dedication.

Our upcoming luncheon will be at Mimosa on Blanco Road on January 9. Social hour begins at 11, and lunch is at Noon.

The January coffee will be held on the third Thursday of the month at Melinda Magee’s Home on Winding Farm. It’s a great time to see old (and new) friends in the New Year.

Please join us for February 6, 2020, Luncheon at Meadow Neighborhood Eatery + Bar at 555 W Bitters Rd, Ste. 110, San Antonio, 78216 (Meadow is in the space formerly occupied by Tre Enoteca)

Going forward, I hope that you can enjoy the many and varied activities provided by our excellent Interest Group leaders. We are afforded so many fantastic opportunities to learn about our new city and to experience new and lasting endeavors. It’s an excellent New Years Resolution would be to join a new group.

Also, if you should have any recommendations or changes to our By-Laws, they need to be sent to Anne Rautio at annerautio@yahoo.com by January 15, 2020. There is a message in this newsletter with more information

Keep in mind that our Nominating Committee will need members to serve on the committee as well as looking for members to serve on the Board for our 2020-2021 year. The work of the Nominating Committee will begin in February. Look for more details in the next newsletter.

Have a great New Year!

Sue Ellen