For nearly four decades, The Welcomers’ Club of Northern Cincinnati has been helping new residents keep busy and integrate into some of the fastest-growing communities in Butler and Warren counties.
Founded in 1976, the goal of the club is to help people who are new to the area, or even those who have lived here a while, to meet and spend time with others who have similar interests.
“(The most invaluable part) is the friendships that you make,” said Sandy Petsch, the club’s president.
Most clubs members live in West Chester Twp., Liberty Twp. and Mason, but others also hail from Hamilton, Middletown, Fairfield and Lebanon, and range in age from 40s to late 90s, but are primarily in their 50s to 70s, Petsch said.
Many club activities are aimed at women, but WCNC also schedules couple-friendly options. Activities include everything from wine tasting, book discussions, “chick flicks”, crafts and stitchery projects to gardening, golf, walking, mahjongg and a wide array of card games.
Every second Tuesday of the month, the group holds its “WCNC Tuesday Event” meeting with special guests talking about topics members might find interesting and informative, Petsch said.
“Ladies Night Out” offers a night out on the town to enjoy a variety of excursions, while “Lunch Bunch” meets every month at a different restaurant.
There’s even Men’s Poker, which men take turns hosting monthly in their respective homes.
“We have a lot of activities,” Petsch said. “It keeps you busy.”
Sharon Foote of Liberty Twp., the club’s vice president, joined the club in 2007.
“We were new to the area and never lived in Ohio,” she said. “We started out with having a son and his family here and then they left the area. We knew we needed to make friends our age because we always have had friends our age.”
Foote said the club provides a social outlet for her and her husband, Dan, to meet contemporaries, spend time with them and enjoy together the joys of living in southwestern Ohio.
She’s also learned new skills through the club, like playing Euchre or mahjongg, and had a chance to see the area via day trips throughout the region.
Members have their contact information listed in a directory that includes their interests, such as cards, movies or dining out.
“Every one of our interest groups has a coordinator who puts your email in her mass email and whenever we have an event we advertise it to you and you can sign up to do it,” Petsch said.