President’s Corner

It is a privilege and honor to be serving as your President for this unprecedented third year in office. I enjoy interacting with all our members at the various clubs, lunches, dinners, and special events. Our hard-working team of over 25 dedicated women who plan, organize, and give their attention to the many details of running our monthly events has enabled us to become a premier women’s group in the Tampa area.

Every time you attend a Newcomer event whether it’s the weekly Canasta or MahJongg group, the monthly activities like Bunco, Wine Time, Book Club, Ladies Golf, Bridge, Adventures in Lunch, Gad-Abouts, Nature Walk, Ladies Night Out or the special events like the Annual Party, Summer Wine Parties, a Fairy Hair Party, Gasparilla Rum Tasting, and the Halloween Costume Party, know that your

Newcomer Chairpersons put in a lot of time and effort for you to have an enjoyable activity full of fun and friendship.

There is also the amazing behind the scenes group of women who are the “life-blood” of our group, in particular our Newsletter Editor, our Publicity Director, our Communications Coordinator, our Directory Editor, and the Executive Board of Directors – without these dedicated and hard-working women - Newcomers would not exist.

Take a minute to look at the long list of 2025-2026 Executive Committee and Standing Committee Chairs in your next Newcomers’ Newsletter. If you get a chance, please take the time to thank the woman running the Newcomer group that you are enjoying that day! Let’s make this the “Year of Gratitude” for all the people who enrich our lives in both big and small ways. Thank you!

This year a Newcomer member told me that “Newcomers saved me!” I teared up knowing that our efforts to provide all these events are making a positive difference in women’s lives. We are social beings, and it can be challenging in our world today to make those personal connections that enrich our lives. Newcomers, with its over 175 members, reaches out to women who are looking to make connections, new friendships and to have fun while doing so. Thank you all, for allowing me to serve our Newcomer members once again. This is, indeed, a labor of love for me.

In Fun and Friendship,

Mary Banks

President, Newcomers of NW Hillsborough