Hello Everyone!

Our Fall Potluck was a huge success due to Becky Kreczko, Robin Schofield and their committee. The night was filled with laughter, food and fellowship. Thank you for stepping up and creating a great event. Your efforts were gratefully appreciated. Steve O’Brien, our performer, was fantastic and I hope we see him perform again. Also, thank you to members who donated nonperishable food to the Simsbury Food Bank.

Recently, you received lots of emails regarding the Annual Gala. I apologize for that. We have all learned that having an email discussion is not necessarily the best way to communicate. I especially apologize to all members involved. What started as a simple question turned into something else. This is not typical of our group and hopefully it won’t happen again. We all agree that it is not the best use of our email system.

Confusion and misunderstandings happen when people don’t feel informed. I will be better about that. I hope you continue to be active members and enjoy the friendships you’ve made.

Have a fantastic month and Happy Thanksgiving!

Best wishes,

Toni Robinson

Hello everyone!

You will notice that some of our newsletter sections have been rearranged. At our October board meeting, we voted in a new board member, Civic Concerns Chair, Genie Wilmarth. She will be taking over the "Around Town" section, noting local activities, events, and other civic concerns pertaining to Simsbury and the surrounding communities, and she will be consolidating it with the Community Events section as well. Genie's section is now titled Civic Concerns.

All around town, I have very much enjoyed seeing the myriad of colors! I personally feel that the colors have been so much brighter this year and I'm taking it as a sign of good things to come. With the cooler temperatures, out come the sweaters and boots, gloves and jackets. For some, the change to winter is cause for a deep sigh, but for me, I look forward to the cozy nights, hearty, carb-filled, delicious meals, the smell of a wood-burning fireplace, something warm to sip, and the promise of evenings to come, spent with family and good friends. It's a time that I feel especially thankful for all that life has to offer. I encourage us all to look forward to the same.

I hope you all have a chance to gather with your loved ones and enjoy the holiday season ahead. Please know that I send my very best wishes to each of you. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Warmly,

Christina

If you know someone who may be interested in joining us, let them know they may join at any time. Contact Sue or visit the website to pay the yearly $25 membership dues.

Seeking 2 Event Planner Co-Chairs. Please call Eileen or email her if you can jump right in to Event Planner Co-Chair. Many events are set up already. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Hi newcomers and neighbors. I’m Genie Wilmarth, the chair of Civic Concerns. I am new to this position and am searching out places where our group might make a difference in the lives of Simsbury residents – collectively or one at a time.

Causes I am interested in: persons with disabilities, animal welfare, loneliness in our elderly population and food scarcity. How about you? What ideas do you have for us to help our community? Please contact me at [email protected] or 860-202-3791 (cell) with ideas.

Here’s what I have found, so far:

Election Day is November 5th. Polling locations are: Henry James Memorial School (District 1), Latimer Lane School (District 2), Tootin Hills School (District 3) and Tariffville School (District 4). If you are not sure of your district, go to http://portaldir.ct.gov for registration lookup. A sample ballot for the local election can be found on http://simsbury-ct.gov .

Simsbury’s 350th anniversary is in 2020. Organizers are looking for volunteers to donate a few hours to help make events associated with the 350th a success. Here’s a link where you can sign up: http://simsbury350.com/ . After you sign up, someone will get back to you with options of where you can get involved.

River Day 350 - Part of Simsbury’s 350 year history is our connection to the Farmington River. From a means of transportation to a means of recreation today, the river has been an important asset to the town. River Day will be celebrated on June 9th and volunteers are needed. I am looking forward to seeing what is planned as many Simsbury residents have fished, canoed, kayaked, or sculled for the SHS Crew Team on the Farmington River. Maybe an essay or poetry contest?

Jack Bannan’s Turkey Trot is the week before Thanksgiving, November 27th. Donations of a turkey or cash can be made at Fitzgerald’s Stop and Shop, Big Y, Geissler’s and other local grocery stores. Watch for the signs around town.

Gifts of Love is in desperate need of boys’ clothing, sizes 3T-14. Gently used or new clothing can be dropped off in the box outside the Wilmarth & Associates office (914 Hopmeadow Street) in Simsbury Town Shops, next to Ava Grace. They also always need toiletries, such as toilet paper, toothpaste, deodorant, soap. You can drop them off in the box as well.

Simsbury Social Services is starting a holiday gift program for elderly and disabled adults. In addition to purchasing gifts for children in low-income families, they would like to start a holiday gift program for some of our low-income seniors and disabled adults. More about this program to come.

Holiday Craft Fair

Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019, 9am-3pm

St. Catherine of Siena Church

265 Stratton Brook Rd

West Simsbury, CT 06092

Soldier’s Quilts and Charity Sewing at the Simsbury Public Library

Held monthly

Next meeting is November 12th, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.

Pam Palmer is the contact.

Friday Night Supper

Friday, November 22nd from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

First Church of Christ, Palmer Hall

689 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury

You are Invited to a FREE Community Meal!

From 4:30 to 6:30 pm we will be serving a community meal prepared by enthusiastic volunteers from First Church. We invite not only the hungry and those on fixed budgets but anyone who wants a break from making dinner to come to Palmer Hall for a delicious meal prepared and served with love.

Please consider being a part of our congregation that welcomes others to the table.

The meal is free. No reservations needed.

Donations accepted will benefit The ABC House.

Contact: Sara Batchelder

The Simsbury Rocks Project

Join Simsbury Girl Scouts to paint some of the 350 rocks that will become part of a town-wide scavenger hunt in celebration of Simsbury’s 350th Anniversary in spring 2020! This intergenerational project is sponsored by the organization For All Ages. Monthly painting sessions are in the Craft Room at Eno Memorial Hall on Mondays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Nov. 18, Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Mar. 9, and Apr. 6.

Please sign up in advance. 860-658-3273 - FREE!

Freedom Pen Project

Join Simsbury High students during their annual 22-hour Freedom Pen-a-Thon to make custom, handcrafted pens that are given to veterans and service members and then sold locally with proceeds benefitting veterans’ support groups. This community service event is open to the public.

Drop in to the woodworking shop in the back of Simsbury High School any time from 4 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 7, talk with students, and make a pen! No experience is necessary; Deb and Gary from For All Ages will be there to greet you. FREE!

Simsbury Chairs For All Ages

For the two volunteer opportunities below, volunteer applications are available at www.forallages.org/volunteer or ask Senior Center Coordinator Kathy Marschall for a copy to fill out and return to her. A $19 background check is required (easy to authorize on-line) to work with the youth.

THE BUILD Mentor Simsbury High students at SHS as they build 10 Adirondack chairs this fall. Chairs will be placed throughout Simsbury next spring. Weekly 9:15-10:45 a.m. Oct. 18, Oct. 25, Oct. 31, Nov. 7, Nov. 14, Nov. 21, Dec. 5, and Dec. 13. Join any time for a few or all weeks.

COMING IN JANUARY – DESIGN & PAINT Join Simsbury High National Art Honor Society students at SHS to design and paint the chairs. From 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. weekly for 10 weeks. (Dates to be determined.) If interested, let Kathy know, as slots will fill quickly!

Happy All Saint’s Day, and Thanksgiving blessings, Genie

Welcome to the Daytime Book Discussion Group! We meet at 9:30 a.m. the third Friday of every month. We enjoy lively but informal discussion about our book selections. Many copies of our titles are available through the Simsbury Public Library. Check at the front desk for books on hold for the Newcomers' Daytime Book Discussion Group. An email is sent out each month as a reminder with the book title, host, and reviewer. Don't forget to e-mail the hostess if you plan to attend so she can plan appropriately. Below is our book list and dates for the year.

Ladies' Daytime Bridge meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 1:00 p.m. Join us as a regular or substitute player. All bridge levels are welcome. Players take turns hosting. Email announcements are sent to the group prior to each playing week about sign-up and host location/information.

Couples Bridge meets on the third Saturday of the month. We meet in couples' homes and begin at 7:30 p.m. We have a variety of bridge levels, so please don't be intimidated. Also, a commitment to one month does not commit you for the whole year. We sign up month to month according to our social schedules.

Please contact Patty Howland if you would like to be on the monthly list.

Welcome back, Newcomers and friends! Bunko is an easy dice game that you can learn to play in just a few minutes. No strategy or planning involved, just a lucky toss of the dice. We meet on the third Wednesday of each month at a member's home for coffee and chit chat. Then we get down to business and play three games! It's a great morning full of laughs and surprises! Come join us. See you at sign-ups or leave a message for me at 860-408-9044.

Arlene Zappile

If you enjoy socializing, then we are the group for you! We are a co-ed group that meets a few times a year (3-4) at our members' homes on Saturday evenings. We are not a "couples only group"! All are welcome!! We will schedule the gatherings around the "SNN events", so as not to conflict. Please bring an appetizer or a dessert to share. Please bring your own beverages. Hosts may choose to have a theme for the evening and will provide paper goods and glasses. Contact Holly and Shaun Murphy to join this group.

Theresa's photo is forthcoming

Welcome Dining Out group to what we hope will be a year of interesting dining discoveries. We reserve at restaurants that accommodate separate billing. Seating is often limited, emails will be sent out with an RSVP deadline.

Dining out this month will be on a Friday night. We will do Asian food at the Butterfly in West Hartford.

Time: 7:00 PM

Date: Friday, November 8th

Place: Butterfly Restaurant

831 Farmington Ave.

West Hartford, CT 06119

We are looking forward to seeing you!

Please respond to Theresa at [email protected] or Katherine at [email protected] by November 1st.

New England is filled with many scenic, historical and cultural attractions. Join fellow Newcomers as we explore our surrounding area. Events and places to visit will be suggested by those who sign up for the group. Some ideas include: tours of local landmarks, ethnic food shopping trips, home and garden tours, art exhibits, daytrips to the CT Shore or the Berkshires.

A hearty group battled rain and very high winds to explore The Glass House in New Canaan, CT. There was a lovely gift shop at the visitor center and umbrellas were provided at every stop on the property. The two hour tour included a view of the surroundings from inside the Glass House. Then we ducked into Gates Restaurant for a nice hot lunch.

We do not have an event planned for November but stay tuned for a December Discovery.

Diana and Patty

I’ll be getting out our second newsletter in mid November. I’m looking for soups, stews and of course Thanksgiving ideas. Send me some of your favorites. Since I’ve been spending time with the grandchildren in New Mexico and Colorado you can be sure that I’ll be sharing some Mexican inspired recipes.

Contact Shari at [email protected].

We have tweaked the mission of the Men’s Night Out. It has morphed into Happy Hour Social Club (not just for men!). We are now in pursuit of the perfect IPA, or some other craft brew delight, bourbon, vino, good conversation and food. We meet the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. (or earlier for those that can). This group is open to all!

The Ladies Lunch Bunch will TENTATIVELY be going to:

Wood-n-Tap (formerly Apricots)

1593 Farmington Ave, Farmington

November 14th at 11:30am.

The Mah Jongg Daytime group meets every Wednesday (except before a holiday) at Anna's Kitchen (next to Fitzgerald's), at 1:00pm starting October 30th.

RSVP to [email protected]

The Evening Mah Jongg group meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month. We welcome players of all levels and are happy to teach anyone who would like to learn the game.

Mary Lou's photo is forthcomiing

One evening a month, we get together to go see the latest Silver Screen temptation. You can come by yourself, or you can bring your family and friends (or any part thereof). Sometimes, dinner is involved, sometimes just popcorn.

The group meets to see a movie at Apple Cinema in Simsbury once or twice a month on a Sunday, and discusses at the Simsbury Public Library, in the Tariffville Room, on the last Sunday of the month from 2-3pm.

A group of women who meet once a week to work on a variety of needlework projects and visit and share ideas. The needlework projects consist of needlepoint, knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross stitch, and quilting. Besides needlework, some of the ladies work on card designing, Zentangles, beading and other small craft projects.

We meet at the library on Monday mornings. Attendance weekly is not necessary.

Carolyn's photo forthcoming

Paddle Tennis is similar to tennis, but played outdoors during the colder months on raised courts. In snowy conditions, the courts are heated to melt the wintry mix. We play November through March, using the courts at Simsbury Farms. The Mixed Doubles group plays on Sunday evenings (4:30 - 6), the Ladies play on Monday and Thursday mornings, and the Men play on Saturday mornings.

If you would like to play paddle and have played other racket sports, please contact the activity coordinators. The rosters tend to fill up by early October. Hope to see you on the courts!

Simsbury Farms usually offers Paddle lessons. Please check with their office for more information - 860-658-3836.

Welcome Couple's Paddle Tennis Enthusiasts!

The Simsbury Newcomers and Neighbors have sponsored a Couple's Paddle Tennis group for close to two decades! We meet Sunday afternoon from November through the end of March. The playing time is 4:30 to 6:00 PM. The lights are on a timer and turn on at dusk.

We enjoy a fun, social, round-robin format of play. Four couples are scheduled each Sunday afternoon; each couple can expect to play one to two times per month. Many of you know the drill. After a brief warm-up, play begins on both courts. After the first set is completed, the winners go to Court 1 (closest to the street) and split, forming new teams with the other winners. The second place finishers go to Court 2 (nearest the golf course) and also split forming new teams. This round robin format mixes up the players and abilities and makes it more fun.

The courts are a seasonal rental, so the cost depends on the number of players who sign up. It is usually around $100/couple for the season.

We are always looking to expand our group of players so if you know of anyone who is interested, please forward their contact information.

I'm looking forward to another great season! Please call if you have any questions.

Camilla T.

(860) 658-2038

30 Metacom Drive

Simsbury, CT 06070

If you like to play cards and would like to be part of an informal, social, and fun group of women, Pinochle may be the perfect activity for you. Pinochle is a card game that is easier than bridge, but still challenging enough to be interesting. Our members range from experienced to just beginning - and we are very willing to give lessons to anyone who is completely new to the game.

DAYTIME

We meet at 1 p.m., the first and third Tuesday afternoons of each month to play for two to three hours, but you do not need to play each time. We take turns hosting either in our homes or at library or community center rooms.

Sue Gannon is the activity coordinator and can be reached at [email protected] or 860-421-5009, and would be glad to answer any questions you may have.

EVENING

The Women's evening Pinochle group meets the second Tuesday of each month from 7 to 10 PM. Each monthly game is hosted by a different player, so location varies.

Judy Rabinowitz is the activity coordinator and can be reached at [email protected] or 860-658-9262.

Open to suggestions if anyone wants to help coordinate something. Give me a call or drop me a line.

The Single Active Women's group is a group for any single woman - divorced, widowed, or simply single.

Our group's purpose is to provide opportunities for single women to meet and make friends with other single women through our activities.

The group will have one planned lunch on the first Tuesday of each month. Other activities may also be planned each month. Members will be notified of these activities by email.

We also hope to give our members the opportunity to find friends to join them on activities they are interested in, and we may share activities that members are interested in doing with the group for that purpose.

We will be meeting at The Olive Garden, at Corbin's Corner in West Hartford on Tuesday, November 5th at 11:30am.

The physical address is: 1441 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford, CT

Corbin’s Corner is a fun shopping spot with shops that offer excellent retail therapy for those that would like check out the stores nearby!

There is REI Co-op for activewear, Saks Off 5th Avenue for fashionistas, Trader Joes for foodies, Buy Buy Baby and Carters/Oshkosh for grandparents, and World Market for gifts and household decor. If you need a shake for dessert there is Shake Shack, and let's not forget Westfarms Mall across the road for everything else!

Come to lunch and grab a girlfriend to shop with afterwards, or come to simply enjoy the good food and conversation. The choice is yours.

Please respond to Gillian Smits @ [email protected]

The beautiful leaves are falling and colder weather is on its way, but we are still walking. Bundle up in layers-it may start out cold, but we usually warm up pretty quickly.

We meet everyday at the bus stop behind CVS at 9 am and walk 2-5 miles on the Iron Horse Trail. This is a fun group that is for all ages and paces.

Contact Michele by text with any questions, and before your first walk to be sure we look for ya!

Wine and Women is a fun and casual group that meets once a month, at a member’s home, usually on the third Thursday night of the month. Everyone brings a bottle of wine or other beverage of choice and an appetizer or dessert to share. It’s fun to meet new members and reconnect with friends. We welcome members to join the group at any time during the year. And, of course, you don’t have to drink wine to enjoy an evening out with this lively crowd!

Our next gathering will be held on Thursday, November 21st, 7:00 pm, at the home of Jackie Howes. Please bring an appetizer or dessert, and a beverage to share with the group. A reminder email will be sent the week before the event with the location details and you can RSVP by replying to the email.

SAVE THESE DATES: January 16, February 20, March 19, April 23, May 14, and June 12 (a Friday date for “Wine, Women and Guest”). Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to open their home to our group. We still need a host for June.