Nullie Stockton and her husband moved to Great Falls from Denver, Colorado in 2003. With a baby, and both she and her husband holding down full-time jobs, Stockton was busy. Still, she longed to make some friends, and while she loved the rural nature of Great Falls, living in a neighborhood made up of 5-acre lots was not conducive to meeting people.
"Everybody in our neighborhood has long driveways and fences," said Stockton. "I don't think that we met any of our neighbors for the first two years that we were here."
Stockton had heard about the Great Falls Newcomers organization through the couple that had sold her and her husband their house. She finally decided to give it a try. She opted for a wine tasting event since she and her husband had spent some time living in the San Francisco Bay area, and had developed a love of wine during their visits to Napa Valley.
"It was great meeting new people that I would have never met otherwise," said Stockton. "Great Falls is kind of isolated — there are no sidewalks to walk down and go meet your neighbor, so it's kind of insular."
Stockton instantly became a member of Great Falls Newcomers and said that in the coming year, she and her husband plan to utilize her membership as much as possible.
"There are just so many different activities that you can do in Newcomers," said Stockton.
When Sally Corley moved from West End, Mass. to Great Falls 26 years ago, she found herself leading a lonely existence in an unfamiliar community.
"I had no children, and I was working, and I couldn't make any friends," said Corley. "Luckily, I ran into three other people … who were also lonely."
Those "three other people" were Great Falls residents Kitty Cox, Janney Lawson and Sharon Strauchs. The four women crossed paths in 1981 and spent the year creating and organizing the social and philanthropic club that would become "Great Falls Newcomers."
On Tuesday, Jan. 9, past and present members of Great Falls Newcomers gathered for a special 25th anniversary celebratory luncheon at Mediterranee restaurant on Colvin Run Road in Great Falls. Corley, Cox and Lawson still reside in Great Falls and were in attendance. Sharon Strauchs still resides in Great Falls as well, but was unable to be at the event. Kathy Cox said that it warmed her heart to be able to look around the room and see the success of the organization she and her friends had created 25 years ago. Cox attributed it to their strong business sense, and the fact that "we really loved each other."
"It's such a joy to be able to stand here and say that these women are my best friends," said Cox.
TODAY, there are 186 members of Great Falls Newcomers, all of whom are made up of a multitude of age ranges and backgrounds.
"What I really like about it, is that there is something for everyone," said Rita MacDonald, who acts as the group's historian. "There is really a lot of diversity in the group — it's not just for a particular type of woman who wants to meet another woman just like her."
MacDonald, who is originally from London, moved to Great Falls with her husband several years ago. Never having considered herself a "group joiner," she was initially skeptical about becoming involved with Newcomers. However, she fell in love with the organization right from the start. Like MacDonald, Maggie Chappelear was also ambivalent when she first heard about Newcomers from her realtor, and from one of her neighbors. However, Chappelear had moved to Great Falls from Florida a little over a year ago, and she was homesick and lonely. She finally decided to give it a try.
"I was not optimistic, but thought I might meet some people who shared my interests," said Chappelear.
She attended a "Lettuce Munch" potluck lunch event and was instantly hooked.
"Newcomers made all the difference in my adjusting to life in Great Falls," she said. "I love living in this area and will always consider this my 'home,' even though I still have the other foot in Florida."
Shannon Burwell moved to Great Falls from Los Angeles a year and a half ago. One of her neighbors repeatedly encouraged her to attend a Newcomers event, and Burwell finally relented in March 2006.
"It was the kind of thing where I didn't know about it, but she persuaded me to do it, and once I did it, I wished I would have joined earlier," said Burwell.
Burwell met Maggie Chappelear right away, and the two quickly developed a close friendship.
"I met Shannon at lunch a month after she joined and we've been best buddies ever since," said Chappelear.
Malihe Karimi had lived all over the world prior to moving to Great Falls. However, the Realtor said that she found it harder to meet people in Virginia than everywhere else she had resided before.
"Everybody is busy and everybody is in their groups, and I thought, 'it's just me, what do I do?'" said Karimi. "But after I joined Newcomers, I started to like Virginia … you have all nationalities, and everybody is made to feel welcome."
Laura Bumpus moved to Great Falls in 1989. The Atlanta native said she "cried for two years and then found Newcomers." Bumpus had young children at the time and decided to attend a Newcomers "Moms and Tots" session.
"The women I met there are my best friends," said Bumpus.
Bumpus went on to become president of Great Falls Newcomers from 1992 to 1993.
"It hasn't really changed much, except for maybe the nature of the activities that are offered — those change according to the interests of the current members," said Bumpus.
A PEEK at the January Great Falls Newcomers newsletter is evidence of the array of activity offerings made possible by the organization's members. They include nature walks, potluck lunches, a dance club, Bunco, knitting sessions, "Moms and Tots" play-dates, cultural tours and Bridge. Bumpus said that she does feel that Newcomers has increased its philanthropic efforts over the years.
Victoria Wesley is vice president of the Great Falls Newcomers Ways and Means committee, and subsequently helps to coordinate the organization's various charitable activities that take place throughout the year. In November of 2006, Great Falls Newcomers held a fund-raising wine tasting event at the home of current Newcomer's president, Donna Muldoon Mastran. Both the wine and food was donated, and the proceeds from the fund-raiser were donated to Lift Me Up! therapeutic riding center in Great Falls. Every other month, Newcomers collects clothing donations for the Embry Rucker shelter in Reston.
Next month, Newcomers will hold a "Posh Pampering Party" to benefit Suited for Change, a non-profit organization that provides low-income women with professional clothing for job interviews and employment. The price of admission for the event is a donation of new or gently used professional clothing, or a cash donation of $45.
"Historically we have always done things where we are always asking for money, so we've been trying to come up with different things so people don't always feel like we're tapping into their wallets," said Wesley.
On April 28, Great Falls Newcomers will hold its annual fund-raising gala at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Reston. This year's theme is a "Rat Pack Era Casino Night," and proceeds will be donated to the Great Falls Volunteer Fire Department. Wesley said that while she has enjoyed making so many friends through Newcomers, she also enjoys being a part of its philanthropic efforts.
"I really wanted to do something where I would feel like I was making an impact on people," she said. "Great Falls is a very wealthy community, and people need to appreciate what they have."