September 27, 2018: Social Club Abuzz with Activity; Ottawa Newcomers Club.

September 27, 2018: Social Club Abuzz with Activity;
Ottawa Newcomers Club.

By Cathy Stapleton.

“Welcome to Ottawa” is the message our group, the Ottawa Newcomers Club, gives to women new to Ottawa within the past two years. We provide a safe and supportive peer group for people wanting to explore their new city and make new friends at the same time. We also include those women who find themselves in a change of life circumstances, such as retirement, widowhood or divorce.

We have a slate of regular activities each month. Our current activities include monthly lunches and potlucks, a book club, bridge, Mah Jongg, and scrabble get togethers, art tours, walking groups, a craft and chat group, dinners out, movie nights and “Out and About”s where we visit local places of interest.

Membership costs $30 a year. Once you join you will receive our monthly newsletter and you can sign up for any of our activities. We then send out a list of those attending for carpooling purposes, thinking it is more fun to ride to an event with new friends than on your own.

If you want to know more about Ottawa Newcomers Club, check us out at: http://www.ottawanewcomersclub.ca and/or contact us at: newcomersclubottawa@gmail.com to request an application form. We look forward to meeting you!

My Story

My name is Cathy and I am writing because I think you may know of someone from your family, neighbourhood, or workplace who could benefit from our Club.

When I moved here in November of 2014 I had a broken ankle. After sitting in the apartment for two months I was so glad to see a small notice in a local paper about this social club. Even though I had a bad cold, I went to my first activity. After two hours I knew I had made the right choice. The women I met in this group have become very dear friends of mine.

I am going to back up now and tell you about my life before Ottawa. I am married with two daughters. I worked as a Church Administrator for 14+ years. I worked, worshiped, socialized all through the church.

When my husband and I arrived, I wondered what was I going to do? I realized that I had a lot of friends, back ‘home’ however I only socialized with them at church events. My friends that I socialized with away from these events are less than you can count of one hand.

After six months with the Ottawa Newcomers Club, I was asked to convene one of the social groups, then I asked if I could start another group with a different interest. I convened these two groups for two years. I now sit on the Board of Directors. Members can be as busy as they like with this club.

I now worry that in two years when we move back out west, that I am going to miss more friends than you can count on both hands!

If you’re a woman who is new to Ottawa or has just experienced a major change in your life circumstances, I highly encourage you to join our group. Send us an email at: newcomersclubottawa@gmail.com . We look forward to meeting you.

Photo Caption: Not restricted to any one area of interest or of the city, the Newcomers Club of Ottawa includes exploration among its many activities. Here, members explore the NCC’s Stony Swamp Beaver Trail. Pictured are Sandi Stalder, Allen Dobson, Karin Dobson, Krista Pressey, Ruth Gray-Beauchamp, and Maureen Pomphrey. Photo by Cathy Stapleton.