Summer does not slow down the Interest Groups - there's fun to be had!
Check out these Interest Groups that meet during the summer months:
by Bob Fulton
Summer does not slow down the Interest Groups - there's fun to be had!
Check out these Interest Groups that meet during the summer months:
by Tech Ops
Margarita Madness is a group that meets at various local establishments on the last Monday of every month from 4-6pm, and both men and women are invited. It is a great opportunity to take some time to just visit and enjoy the company of others. Come join us!
Visit the What's Going On calendar and click on the Margarita Madness event in any month to find information about where and when we meet. From there, click the blue "Learn More and Join" to automatically generate a request to be added to the group.
by Tech Ops
The Newcomers Social Bridge group meets the first and third Tuesdays of each month from 1-4pm at a member's home. Everyone brings a small appetizer, and the hostess provides non-alcoholic beverages. This Interest Group is very friendly and happy to help people wanting to learn. And be prepared for some laughter!
If you have never played bridge, we will gladly and kindly help you learn.
Please contact the group coordinator at bridge@estesparknewcomers.org if you are interested or would like more information.
by Tech Ops
The draw of the outdoors speaks to many Newcomers. So much so, that we now support THREE different interest groups devoted to hiking.
The pleasure of engaging in outdoor activities in such a scenic environment is one of many reasons why folks relocate to Estes Park. Engaging in a variety of conversations with fellow Newcomers adds an enriching dimension to the hike far beyond the scenery. The Hiking Interest Group has been a part of the Newcomers experience for a number of years. The Group's leaders take the time to conduct preview hikes to ensure that the experience will be positive, always keeping safety in mind. At a stopping point along the trail, hikers will often enjoy home-made treats from the leader, along with hot water and a variety of teas. Other times, the group will gather at a local coffee shop in Town afterward. Hikes are typically 4–6 miles round trip with an elevation gain up to 1,500 feet. We always have a great time - so come join us on the trail!
Estes Park is a hiker’s paradise. Stumble out your front door, and you are pretty much guaranteed to be on a trail within 15 minutes - truly one of the best aspects of living here! If you are like many Newcomers, the abundance of outdoor activities in this beautiful locale was at the top of your list when moving here.
In year’s past, the Newcomers Hiking Group offered only weekday treks. This year a weekend hiking option was added for those of us who (regrettably) still work - and for folks who just want to get outdoors more often with a great group of hikers.
The Weekend Warriors have met four times thus far, typically on the last Saturday of the month. We hike between 3 and 6 miles with an elevation gain of about 1000 feet, allowing for enjoyable conversation while hiking and keeping time spent on those valuable weekends to 2-3 hours max. We have ventured into Rocky Mountain National Park and have taken a trip down the valley to Button Rock Preserve. The Weekend Warriors look forward to many more enjoyable Saturday mornings exploring the thousands of miles of trail this great State has to offer. We hope to see you on the next trail!
Once a month the “Easy Hiking” group sets out on an unpaved trail, either a loop or out-and-back, for about two miles with minimal elevation gain. On a recent hike, we walked into the Park from the end of High Drive, where we were greeted with open meadow and sweeping views of mountain peaks. On the way back we hooked up with a gravel road for a while, but most of it was on trail. Afterwards we typically gather at a local coffee shop. We look forward to seeing you on the trail!
by Tech Ops
Book clubs are among the more popular Interest Groups in Newcomers with several from which to choose.
Newcomer’s Morning Book Club meets once per month at various member homes. This book club has attracted so many members that it meets in small groups to better facilitate discussion. Each group reads and discusses both fiction and nonfiction books chosen by its own members.
This Book Club is actively seeking new leaders as interest in reading and sharing continues to grow.
“While it is too early to say which text this year has been our favorite, we would probably all agree that while the book brings us together, it is the camaraderie we have developed that makes the first Monday of the month so special,” shares Sherry Unruh, coordinator of one of the groups. “Coffee, tea, and snack delights greet us at every home, and we often find ourselves catching up on each other and our families for a good portion of the first half hour, setting the stage for feeling safe to offer opinions and debate literary situations.”
Back row, left to right: Debra Sloan, Diane Scruton, Caltha Crowe, Joyce Jacobsmeyer. Front row: Kathye Osborne, Lisa Zahn, Donna Pierce and Melissa Woods.
A sampling of books the groups have been reading include: The Stranger in the Woods, The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion, Dear Mrs. Bird, The Children Act, The Red Coat: A Novel of Boston, Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter, Rebecca, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Half-Broken Horses, A Lady’s Life in the. Rocky Mountains, Recollections of a Rocky Mountain Ranger, The Dance House, All the Light We Cannot See, Rules of Civility, The Afghan, The Education of Little Tree, Born a Crime, Pachinko, Ross Poldark, Hillbilly Elegy, The Women in the Castle, Small Great Things, The Story of Arthur Truluv and Can This Be Home (by local author Bobbe Palmer).
The Morning Book Club groups carry forward the longstanding Newcomers Club tradition of great reading and sharing personal insight.
The purpose of the TGIF Book Club is to foster new friendships within our membership by getting to know each other while discussing books. It’s simply: read the selected book, meet in a group member’s home, bring an appetizer to share and your beverage of choice.
The TGIF Book Club is open to all! The only expectation is that you want to be in a book club that has an eclectic reading list. Each month we will read one book selected through member nomination and voted on by the group. Books may be fiction, non-fiction, contemporary literature, or a good old classic.
The intent is to create a small group setting for discussion, while accepting anyone who would like to join us. If we go over 15 members attending in a month, we plan to adopt a format much like Dining In - we would meet in multiple homes. The interest group co-leads would form randomly selected groups for each home. This way we would get to meet and socialize with a variety of Newcomers throughout the year. This group is also adapting the successful Wine & Cheese model by having participants bring an appetizer to share and their beverage of choice, giving the evening more of a social vibe.
by Bob Fulton
If the first time you ever played poker was in a casino with a bunch of skilled veterans, chances are that you did not have a good time. A much more enjoyable alternative is to play in a relaxed, social environment where everyone is there to just have fun. That's what the Men's Poker interest group is all about.
We are a really fun group of members, alumni, and even a few folks from the community. According to Newcomers alumnus and Men's Poker coordinator Scott Thompson, "We play dealer's choice, and the games range from Five Card Draw to Super Omaha, and all games in between. Betting is nickel/dime/quarter a maximum and raise limits. It’s a $5 buy-in, where a big winner would make $8, and the big loser about the same."
The group plays on the 3rd Wednesday of each month, year-round, rotating between member homes. The host provides a meal and beverages. Come join a lively game of Men's Poker!
You can learn more about this interest group and sign up for Men's Poker here.
Estes Park Newcomers Club
PO Box 2282
Estes Park, CO 80517