Wednesday, September 5, 2001

New Neighbor League keeps members busy

Boredom is not an option for members of the active New Neighbors League.

No matter what it is you might like to do, there is someone in the group who will show you how to get involved in the Fayette County area.

Bunko? There is an active group who rotate the game from house to house. Bridge? Call Jane Chapman.

Like to swim? You guessed it, members open their home pools for fun swim days like the recent "Dare to Bare." For those who may have raised their eyebrow at that title, they simply mean that it's OK to feel comfortable wearing a bathing suit in spite of those extra pounds.

Every Friday morning individuals meet at Shadows Restaurant for a casual get-together. Some come at 8:30, others wander in as late as 9:30 a.m. for coffee or breakfast. Shopping is another activity that is high on the list of some members. After the regular monthly meeting or after the Friday breakfast, it's not unusual to see a few carloads head toward a favorite shopping area.

Many of the members are active in various local charities. Eleanor LePlante is spearheading the effort to collect luggage for Kids in Crisis. DeDe Gauthier is forming a group to walk in the upcoming 2nd Annual Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk.

Members were invited to join in for a game of golf to support the American Heart Association on October 15th. Another member creates pretty baskets filled with essential items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste to be given out by the Council on Domestic Violence.

Each month members also take at least one-day trip to a fun location. In August an informative trip was planned to tour the State Capitol. Other day excursions on the list of "to dos" includes a trip to the Margaret Mitchell House, the World of Coca-Cola, the Atlanta Farmers Market and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

Uniglobe Accent Travel also works closely to provide overnight trips for New Neighbors members. A trip to Alaska is in the offing, among others.

The New Neighbors League was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Atlanta. According to its literature, "The business of the NNLI is to promote the community to families who have recently moved into the area."

The League serves as a "greeting and referral service" representing selected businesses and professionals to relocated families. There are Leagues chapters in Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C.

Volunteers from the League visit families who are new to the area, giving them a booklet of information and answering questions about the community. Anyone who is visited or invited to join may do so within their first year of moving to the area.

Once a year the group hosts an "Amnesty Day" allowing those whose membership has lapsed or those who missed the one-year enrollment time-frame to join.

They meet regularly on the first Thursday of each month at the Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City for food and fellowship. Members catch up, enjoy light refreshments and listen to a presentation on a wide group of topics. Well-known Fayette County historian Carolyn Cary will be the speaker at the September meeting.

For more information regarding membership or sponsorship, call Carol Jensen-Linton at 770-486-9116.

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