Being A New Newcomer
What a thrill to see that long, winding row of new members being introduced at the last couple of general meetings! It even makes me a little jealous - all of those people are just starting on their journey here - with five great years to look forward to with Newcomers.
I wonder how many Newcomers ask, "Where do I start?" There are so many things going on (over 240 events and activities per year, if anyone is counting). I am sure it can feel pretty overwhelming at first.
So I pulled together some tips to help anyone just getting started in the Club:
- You've Got Mail! - Newcomers is all about using email to keep everyone informed. Notification of upcoming happenings, registration opening up, small group gatherings, and Club announcements all come to you by email. So double check to make sure that Newcomers emails stay out of that pesky junk mail folder. Also, many of our meetings and events sell out - so if something interests you, we suggest you act quickly.
- Hello, Mr. Website. - As with our relationship with email, we rely on the Newcomers website to connect with our members. First and foremost - the website is where you will register for the majority of Club meetings and events. In many cases, registering on the website is the only way you can participate. I encourage you to spend some time just exploring our mobile and user friendly site, starting with its three main areas - What's New, What's Going On, and Our Members. We invite you to come back to the site frequently for an ever-changing stream of what's coming, news articles, photos, and reminders. There's also a handy email directory of contacts for help when you need it.
- Find Something Interesting - the most popular segment of the Club's programming is our Interest Groups. There are over 20 different groups, and they come in all shapes and sizes. There is no better way to get to know your neighbor than to share an intimate dinner at their home or discuss a recent read with fellow book lovers. Whether it's hiking, photography, games, books, food, or movies that interest you, be assured you will have fun building new friendships through Interest Groups. We're all busy - you won't be able to make every gathering offered. We recommend that you sign up for several groups to be sure you receive the invites. Then you can decide what works with your schedule. Your next new best friend will be there!
- Be Social - Newcomers is a social club. So we party. A lot. I think most every Club activity devotes time to everyone's favorite pastime - socializing. Come early for the cocktail hour before each monthly general meeting - you'll be surprised at how many people will recognize you after only a couple of months! And for sure mark your calendars for our monthly Wine & Cheese socials held in member homes.
- We're In The Book - We're social, and we've got media. Where does that lead? To Facebook of course! Join the Club Facebook group to share photos and experiences with your fellow Newcomers. It's also an easy way to stay on top of upcoming Club happenings.
- Get Involved - Somewhere between the glasses of wine and dinner courses, we get stuff done. One of the things that makes Newcomers special in my eyes is - we are "doers." And when doers get together, stuff happens. So whether you're an organizer, thinker, painter, dancer, carpenter, hands-on worker, number cruncher, party planner, or simply a good friend - there are many ways to get plugged in and connected with others. Getting involved in the Club can take so many forms. We have a Board of Directors, along with a host of committees that pull together those 240 events throughout the year. We have teams devoted to once-a-year special events, social gatherings, and community outreach initiatives. Getting involved in any of these areas will reward you with the bonds of new friendships and memories you will cherish for life.
The most important thing to remember about Newcomers is - you are not alone. You'll be surprised at how many of us are on very similar journeys - having taken the big step and moved away from the familiar to forge a new life here in the mountains. That common thread draws us together as friends, as a Club, and as a community.
Welcome, my new friends.
Bob Fulton
President@EstesParkNewcomers.org
Supporting Our Community With Compassion
Supporting Estes Park’s own Crossroads Ministry during the holiday season is a long-standing tradition of the Newcomers Club. In particular, we strive to keep the Crossroads Pantry stocked for holiday meals. Their reserves can get mighty low during the winter months, so we encourage all members to help those that need a lift.
Canned food (with the exception of pumpkin) and boxed goods are welcome. Dressing mix, vegetables, fruit, Jell-O, soups, etc. are all needed if families in our Valley are to have a nice Thanksgiving meal.
This year, we are collecting donations for this local cause at three events:
- November 7th Trail Ridge Quilters Newcomers Tea & Quilt Sale at the Unruh home
- November 8th General Meeting at Hunters Chop House
- November 10th Wine & Cheese social at the Stalder home
So please… when you walk out the door to go to someone's beautiful house for this month's always-enjoyable Wine and Cheese party - or you hop in the car for a quick jaunt to the Unruh home for the Trail Ridge Quilters Sale - or you are getting gussied up for November’s General Meeting - think of those who are not so fortunate, and help us help our community. You will feel good, and our friends at Crossroads will be grateful.
During the month of October, the following new members have joined the class of 2023:
Cheryl & Phil Baker
Randy & Terry Brigham
Rob & Christina Eccleston
Joyce & Richard Paxton
Deborah Schmitt & David Ruffley
Lisa and Mark Taylor
David & Debra VanTassel
Welcome to the Club!
The program for the Club's November General Meeting will focus on history. Our guest speaker is Dr. James Pickering, who will present The History of F.O. Stanley in Estes Park. Jim is a noted Estes Park and Estes Valley historian, has written several books about Estes Park and its characters, and is very active in the Estes Park community.
The meeting will be held at Hunters Chop House, 1690 Big Thompson Avenue on November 8th. Social time will begin at 5:00, with dinner at 6:00 and a guest speaker at 7:00. To attend, you must register online no later than November 1st.
We Believe in Estes Park is a community outreach project of the Estes Park Newcomers Club. The Club has partnered with the Town of Estes Park to join in celebrating the holiday spirit, while supporting several local non-profit organizations. Our efforts will help children, families, seniors and even the homeless pets in Estes Park.
Santa and his merry Newcomers elves will be busy all over town - from small photo sessions to the Tree Lighting Ceremony to being the feature attraction in the Town’s Catch the Glow Parade. Our festive Newcomers entourage will escort Santa on the final float of the parade for the big finale! We hope that you, your family and guests will consider being part of the parade. We have elf and Nutcracker soldier costumes for our entire entourage, or you can come festooned in your own festive wear.
We invite you to join us in spreading the holiday spirit! Click the button above, and Santa will magically take you to the We Believe area of the Newcomers website. All the details are there…dates, times and places where Santa needs helper elves to mingle and jingle. Signing up to volunteer is easy, and once you’ve registered, a member of the We Believe Team will be in touch to provide you with all the details you’ll need to be part of the fun!
A hearty thanks to the over 40 members who are already working hard on costumes, Santa sets, parade gear and decorating the We Believe Inn.
Elves are fun, elves are funny, elves are needed to help everyone in Estes Park believe!
Autumn. Art. By Design.
Fall is by far my favorite season. Excitement is in the air from all the new things that happen this time of year - schools, football, the harvest - even the new television lineup.
Autumn is also a time of change here in our little slice of paradise - as the air gets crisp, the days are shorter, the animals become more active, and more color comes to our views.
Those beautiful fall colors remind me of the signature artwork we selected for the new website:
Back story: One of our local artists, James Frank, captured this stunning image of Bear Lake during the fall season. We have secured his permission to use this image in Club promotions.
If you have a design background, or just a good eye for color, you may have noticed that this masterpiece is both the featured artwork and the basis of the signature color palette used throughout the new website. It was also the inspiration for a new logo.
Let The Program(s) Begin!
Following our successful kick-off at the September General Meeting, the Newcomers 2018-2019 program is now in full swing.
All of the Interest Groups have organized, with a myriad of activities planned and underway. As introduced earlier, two new groups have started - Nature Photography and Weekend Hiking. Both groups are off to a great start with a couple of dozen participants.
Our special events team offered an education program and tour of the Benson Sculpture Garden along with one of its associated casting foundries. Next up: The Brews Cruise! This popular event has been expanded and is sure to be loads of fun. You should check it out.
And of course our Wine & Cheese social event calendar is filled up. Nothing gets between Newcomers and their wine & cheese!
As introduced in September, a new addition to our program lineup this year is a focus on Community Outreach, with two efforts underway at present. Our very own Trail Ridge Quilters are topping off their inventory to be ready for a series of sales starting around Thanksgiving, the proceeds of which will benefit EP Health.
In addition, a new team has formed within Newcomers to help with Santa’s dilemma. They are organizing and planning a series of activities for the holiday season that will be great fun for Newcomers and help out some of our worthy causes here in the Estes Valley. Stay tuned on this one - more info will be forthcoming very soon!
I look forward to seeing everyone at the next general meeting on October 18th at Mama Rosa’s.
Thursday, October 18th, 5:00-8:00pm
Social hour will begin 5:00pm. Wine, beer, liquor and sodas will be paid for by the guests. We encourage each table to order wine for the table, which will speed up the drinks. Your table waiter will keep a tab of the drinks.
Chase Ryland, District Wildlife Manager, Area 2, will provide a presentation on the biology of bears in the Estes Valley
Cost is $24 per person and you must register online before Thursday, October 11. You are encouraged to pay online by credit card. Credit cards are not accepted at the event.
CANCELLATION POLICY: If you register and then need to cancel, the last day to cancel is by end of day, Thursday, October 11. To cancel, contact registration@estesparknewcomers.org.
Spotlight - Jeanne Allen, Quilter and Newcomer Alumnus
Eight years ago when we realized our dream of moving to the mountains and Estes Park after visiting regularly for 30 years, I was particularly excited to have more time to pursue my passion of quilting. This interest was developed after owning a quilt shop in Iowa for nearly 12 years where there was never enough time to be creative after all the jobs of being a small business owner were complete.
I researched the various quilting groups in town and knew there was a quilt guild, Estes Valley Quilt Guild, and another group called Trail Ridge Quilters, affiliated with and supported by Estes Park Newcomers Club.
We eagerly attended a Newcomers Club Meeting a few days after we moved in, and I inquired about the quilting group. I learned that they were a Special Interest group of the Newcomers Club, meeting weekly at Estes Park Health in the Longs Peak room and making quilted items that are sold to the public. All proceeds go to Estes Park Health Foundation to buy items that directly benefit patient care. These items, requested through grant requests from the departments, are needed to enhance daily patient care. The group’s monies have purchased a variety of items from temporal thermometers to digital scales to colonoscopy equipment and so much more.
Why do I make items and then donate them rather than keeping them for myself or family? It’s a great way to use my quilting skills to benefit myself and other patients who use our local medical facility. By making items as small as a potholder or as large as a king-sized quilt, I get the satisfaction of creating an item and helping my local community as well. And then there is the added benefit of getting together with the other quilters and chatting as we work on our projects. For me, it’s a win-win situation.
Dining Out is simply about having fun while getting to know a local restaurant and experiencing their food, drink, and service with a bunch of your newest friends. This year we will try a couple of new places, repeat some fan favorites, and return to a few we have not visited in recent years...all while attempting to avoid general meeting venues. A tall order for a small town like Estes Park! The plan is to order off the menu for a full variety of options. The group will generally meet on the second Wednesday of each month, but look for dates and locations on the Newcomer Calendar under “What’s Going On.” Interest group members will be notified via email once the calendar is finalized and the next event is open for registration. Bon appétit!