Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Newcomers! This time of year traditionally means visiting with family and friends, enjoying holiday foods such as turkey, cranberries, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, and reflecting on the people and things for which we are grateful … And let’s not forget cheering on our favorite football teams!
This has been a very difficult year, and we appreciate the ongoing support of our members who have stepped up and demonstrated faith in continuing the legacy of our organization. Let’s all put this year behind us and enjoy a Thanksgiving Day filled with laughter and joy, great conversation, grateful hearts, and a renewed appreciation for all that life has to offer. Most importantly, don’t forget about the little things that have brought each of us peace of mind, joy, and satisfaction.
This has been a year of uncertainties, but there are still things to be grateful for, like the thousands of people that came to our aid during the devastating wildfires which threatened our beloved Town and Rocky Mountain National Park. We should be forever grateful for friends, family, and people we don’t even know who came together for the common good of helping each other out. We are blessed to be living in this warm mountain community where people genuinely care for one another.
As this Covid crisis continues, we must make the difficult decision to suspend all in-person Club-sponsored gatherings through the end of 2020. This does not mean that all activities have been suspended. We will continue to offer virtual gatherings for some of our interest groups, such as book clubs, men’s poker, board games, and photography groups. These groups remain strong and have been meeting via Zoom on a regular basis. We will continue to offer additional virtual activities throughout this year and for the foreseeable future, so please check out the “What’s Going On” section on our website for updates.
The decision to suspend all in-person Club sponsored activities was difficult, especially with the holidays approaching, but the decision was made to protect our Members and the Community.
In these difficult times there are still some very exciting and positive activities taking place, such as:
WE BELIEVE IN ESTES PARK:
The “We Believe in Estes Park” planning committee, in conjunction with the Town, has been working on the development of COVID-safe activities for this holiday season. As in previous years, Estes Park Newcomers is making appearances by our very own Santa and Mrs. Claus (Al Davis and Barb Prentiss) available to our local children. These include the stationary “Catch the Glow” parade, which will be held at the fairgrounds, and the customary downtown tree lighting ceremony. Santa’s Elves will be appearing in video productions to be shared with friends and families, answering letters to Santa, decorating the “We Believe Inn” behind Town Hall, and providing decorations at the entrance of “Catch the Glow” at the fairgrounds. We will also be providing life-size cutouts of Santa, Mrs. Claus, and reindeer for taking selfies; these will be located at Mary Jane’s and the Wild Horse Gift Shop. Additionally, we are excited to announce that Cowboy Brad (Brad Fitch), will deliver a very special Holiday message as part of the video productions!
For those who may be new to town and to Newcomers, “We Believe in Estes Park” is a community outreach project of the Estes Park Newcomers Club. Since 2018, the Club has partnered with the Town of Estes Park to celebrate the holiday spirit, while supporting several local non-profit organizations that bring comfort to our mountain community.
LOTSAHELPINGHANDS:
One of the Newcomers outreach initiatives this year was to institute a program for fellow Newcomers to reach out and provide help and support to one another and the community. Through the combined efforts of our Membership and Technology teams, we are launching the LotsaHelpingHands link on our Newcomers website. If you are in need or are willing to offer help/support to your fellow Newcomers, please check out the LotsaHelpingHands link under the “quick links” section on the Newcomers website.
TRAIL RIDGE QUILTERS UPDATE:
Newcomers and Trail Ridge Quilters just completed another successful online sale. I want to thank everyone who participated in this annual fall fundraising event. This was another huge success, and we are honored to be able to help the Trail Ridge Quilters continue with their mission to support the Estes Park Health Foundation. A total of $4,081.08 was raised to support their efforts.
WELCOME TO OUR NEW BOARD MEMBER:
I am happy to introduce to you our newest Board Member, Cynthia Hunt. Cynthia will be serving as a Member-at-Large, providing support to our Activities Committee in their Community Outreach initiatives.
I wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Debbi Stalder
President