Trina Alexander and a few of her newfound friends want to welcome local ladies to join them for fun, games, food, friendship –

and a chance to give back to the local community.

The recently formed Newcomers and Neighbors Club of Greenville was created &uot;as a club for ladies that does not exclude anyone,&uot; says Alexander, the club’s president.

Herself a relative newcomer to the Camellia City, Alexander has banded together with several local residents to form a club patterned after The Greencastle-Antrim Newcomers Club in Greencastle, Pennsylvania (itself patterned after a club in Minnesota).

The twist with the Greenville club is the inclusion of &uot;neighbors&uot;, those who have lived in the area for years, even decades, into the membership mix.

&uot;We want ladies who have lived here all their lives, and ladies who have lived here for two weeks, to join this club,&uot; Alexander notes.

Newcomers and Neighbors Club board members include Alexander; Jill Stallworth, vice-president, Nancy Idland, 2nd vice-president, Jane Bates, treasurer, Bess Nordgren, secretary, Jan Newton, historian, Mary Braden, activities director and Kathy Sims, outreach director.

Friendship and fun

&uot;Our primary goal is to provide for the promotion of friendship for Greenville area residents and to acquaint newcomers with all the pluses of living in this vibrant, growing community,&uot; Alexander explains. A secondary goal of the new club, she says, is to sponsor and assist with various community projects.

The board members also believe in the old adage about variety being the spice of life.

&uot;We plan to hold at least ten regular meetings a year, plus four activities, one of which will be a family outing our spouses and kids also can enjoy,&uot; the club president notes.

&uot;We will have picnics, golf outings, themed parties, progressive dinners and museum and antique outings. The name of the game is to have fun and to make new friends,&uot; Alexander adds.

Plans are in motion

Alexander says the ladies have been excitedly planning events for the upcoming calendar year. The Newcomers and Neighbors Club will kick things off with a social &uot;greet and meet&uot; at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center at 7 p.m. on January 15, 2004. &uot;We’ve invited our mayor, Dexter McLendon and Carol Lee, director of our Chamber of Commerce to be our guests that evening,&uot; Alexander notes.

&uot;We are also planning our annual club birthday meeting to be held in March. At the party, we will be recognizing a special lady in our community. We invite you to come and help us plan this event for a very special person,&uot; she adds.

A progressive dinner is planned for April to be held at the Chamber of Commerce Depot, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Newton’s home and Mr. and Mrs. Steve Stallworth’s home.

Greenville ‘a great town’

Alexander is sold on the Greenville area. &uot;I think this is a great town…everyone has been so welcoming to my family. I believe Greenville is the perfect place for a club like this,&uot; she says.

Dues for the Greenville Newcomers and Neighbors Club will be $22 a year, including the $6 activity fee. &uot;Perspective members are welcome to attend up to two regular meetings without paying membership dues – we want everyone to feel this is the right place for them to be,&uot; Alexander explains. Regular monthly meetings are planned for the third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the FBC Family Life Center.

Alexander invites anyone with questions about the new club to contact her at 382-0089.

&uot;I’m excited about all the membership forms already turned in – and I can’t wait to add more ladies to our club,&uot; she says.