General Meeting: Tuesday, May 23, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.

General Meetings are a time to welcome visitors, hear guest speakers, and discuss club business. Women who are new or established residents of Greater Winston Salem are invited to join. Visitors are welcome to attend two meetings or activities before joining and paying dues.

The general meetings are held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1416 Bolton Street (just off Silas Creek Parkway, via the Bolton Street exit) at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except August and December)

May Program:

Southern Environmental Law Center

Speaker: Brooks Rainey Pearson

The Southern Environmental Law Center, founded in 1986, uses the power of the law to champion the environment of the Southeast. Their team of 70 dedicated attorneys stands up for all the things you love about this special region — clean water, healthy air, mountains, forests, and the coast.

By working at the national, regional, state, and local levels, and in all three branches of government, this nonprofit organization is able to do what it takes to get results. SELC strengthens laws, they make government agencies do their job, and, when necessary, they go to court to stop environmental abuses or to set far-reaching precedents.

This year marks SELC’s 30th anniversary. They invite us to join them in celebrating thirty years of impressive results — and in boldly meeting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the next thirty years. Together, we can achieve a healthy, sustainable environmental future for our six states.

Brooks received her undergraduate degree, juris doctorate, and master's degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Brooks is now an attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center's Chapel Hill office, where she is part of the coal ash and hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") litigation teams, and also represents SELC as a lobbyist at the North Carolina General Assembly.

Before joining SELC, Brooks was on the climate and energy team at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University. She lives in Durham with her husband Dave, and enjoys teaching, practicing yoga, traveling, being outdoors with her dogs, and Tarheel basketball.

Calendar of Events: May 2017

Please RSVP for all events. Non-members who wish to attend one of our events should contact our Membership Coordinator, Pat Titus, at 336-771-4422 for additional information or email wsnandn@aol.com.

Book Club: Monday, May 1, at 10:00 a.m.: Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Mah Jong: Tuesday, May 2, at 1:00 p.m.

Evening Cards: Wednesday, May 3, at 7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting: Tuesday, May 9, at 10:00 a.m.

Mah Jong: Wednesday, May 10, at 1:00 p.m.

Bridge: Thursday, May 11, at 1:00 p.m.

Movie & Dinner: Friday, May 12, at 6:00 p.m.

Mah Jong: Tuesday, May 16, at 1:00 p.m.

Lunch Bunch: Thursday, May 18, at 11:30 a.m.

Day Trip Gals: Friday, May 19, at 10:45 a.m.

Wine Tasters: Saturday, May 20, at 6:00 p.m.

General Meeting: Tuesday, May 23, at 10:00 a.m.

Mah Jong: Wednesday, May 24, at 1:00 p.m.

Day Cards: Thursday, May 25, at 1:00 p.m.

Mah Jong: Tuesday, May 30, at 1:00 p.m.

 Newcomers and Neighbors Website: http://www.wsnewcomers.blogspot.com

General Meeting: Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.

General Meetings are a time to welcome visitors, hear guest speakers, and discuss club business. Women who are new or established residents of Greater Winston Salem are invited to join. Visitors are welcome to attend two meetings or activities before joining and paying dues.

The general meetings are held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1416 Bolton Street (just off Silas Creek Parkway, via the Bolton Street exit) at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except August and December)

April Program:

Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA)
Speaker: Johanna Metzgar Brown

Located in the heart of downtown Winston-Salem is an original Moravian settlement. Old Salem introduces visitors to early American history. One can experience architecture, gardens, tours, artifacts, and hands-on workshops in this unique village. The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) at Old Salem Museums and Gardens tells the story of life in the early South through an unparalleled collection of early southern furniture, ceramics, silver, paintings, textiles, and other decorative arts from 1660-1860. Museum docents describe early Southern artistry, craftsmanship, and stories. They introduce visitors to the early South through its objects and material culture.

The museum is the realization of a vision of Frank Horton and his mother Theodosia Taliaferro. They were both antiques dealers and collectors who dedicated their lives to raising awareness of and appreciation for objects made in the South. In 1960, they offered to loan their collection to the new museum and in 1964, they established an endowment to fund MESDA. MESDA opened to the public in January,1965.

Johanna Metzgar Brown is the director of collections and curator of Moravian Decorative Arts at Old Salem Museums and Gardens. She has a BA in American Studies and Anthropology from Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC, and an MA in History Museum Studies from Cooperstown graduate program in Cooperstown, NY. In 1991, after completing her MA, Johanna began working at Old Salem where she has served in various curatorial positions.

Although her primary research focus is the Moravian Decorative Arts collection at historic Old Salem, Johanna also works with the collections of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA). She has written for a variety of publications including Ceramics in America, the Journal of Early Southern Decorative Arts, the magazine Antiques, and Antiques and Fine Art. She lectures regularly on Moravian and southern material culture.

Calendar of Events: April 2017

Please RSVP for all events. Non-members who wish to attend one of our events should contact our Membership Coordinator, Pat Titus, at 336-771-4422 for additional information or
email wsnandn@aol.com

Book Club: Monday, April 3, at 10:00 a.m.: The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

Mah Jong: Tuesday, April 4, at 1:00 p.m.

Evening Cards: Wednesday, April 5, at 7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting: Tuesday, April 11, at 10:00 a.m.

Mah Jong: Wednesday, April 12, at 1:00 p.m.

Bridge: Thursday, April 13, at 1:00 p.m.

Movie & Dinner: Friday, April 14, at 4:00 p.m.

Mah Jong: Tuesday, April 18, at 1:00 p.m.

Lunch Bunch: Thursday, April 20, at 11:45 a.m.

Travel Talk: Thursday, April 20, at 6:30 p.m.

Day Trip Gals: Friday, April 21, at 10:15 a.m.

Special Event: Saturday, April 22, at 10:00 a.m. Piedmont Earth Day Fair

General Meeting: Tuesday, April 25, at 10:00 a.m.

Mah Jong: (Special Day & Time) Tuesday, April 25, at 1:30 p.m.

Community Service: Wednesday, April 26, at 11:00 a.m.

Day Cards: Thursday, April 27, at 1:00 p.m.

Dinner Out: Thursday, April 27, at 5:30 p.m.

Newcomers and Neighbors Website: http://www.wsnewcomers.blogspot.com

General Meeting: Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.

General Meetings are a time to welcome visitors, hear guest speakers and discuss club business. We invite women who are new or established residents of Greater Winston Salem to visit us.

The general meetings are held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1416 Bolton Street (just off Silas Creek Parkway, via the Bolton Street exit) at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except August and December)

March Program:

Celebrate Sustainability and Green Living at 2017 Piedmont Earth Day Fair
Speaker: Jamie Maier, Executive Director of the PEA

Join us for a preview of the 2017 Piedmont Earth Day Fair, central North Carolina’s largest one-day environmental education event. Our speaker will be Jamie Maier, Executive Director of the Piedmont Environmental Alliance (PEA). Scheduled for Saturday, April 22, at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds, the fair celebrates sustainability and green living in our region. This free event, which attracts as many as 10,000 fairgoers, includes great food and music, activities for children and adults, and over 100 exhibitors who share ideas and products for supporting the planet.

The Piedmont Environmental Alliance began in 2005, when friends joined to host a family-friendly Earth Day celebration. This first event was so successful that the fair’s organizing committee formed the 50(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the Piedmont Triad community on environmental issues. Today, the PEA brings together people, organizations, businesses, schools and government agencies toward the common goal of building a more environmentally sustainable community.

The PEA is a leader in environmental education, with programs that integrate sustainability into local K-12 classrooms. Programs include Energy Explores, Every Drop Counts, and Environmental Debate, designed to build skills in science, math and leadership. They teach youth to make environmentally sustainable and socially responsible lifestyle choices. In 2016, they engaged more than 2,000 students across 90 classrooms, and is on target to reach more than 3,500 students in 2017.

Jamie Maier has been Executive Director of the Piedmont Environmental Alliance since 2015. She is a graduate of Duke University, with nonprofit experience in Boston, Washington DC, and Pune, India. She has a personal passion for the environment as well as experience in strategic planning, fundraising, event planning, volunteer recruitment, community outreach and program development. She is a native of Winston-Salem and has a BA in psychology and a Masters of Business Administration.

Calendar of Events: March 2017

Please RSVP for all events. Non-members who wish to attend one of our events should contact our Membership Coordinator, Pat Titus, at 336-771-4422 for additional information or email wsnandn@aol.com. 

Mah Jong: Wednesday, March 1, at 1:00 p.m.

Evening Cards: Wednesday, March 1, at 7:00 p.m.

Book Club: Monday, March 6, at 10:00 a.m.: Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis

Mah Jong: Tuesday, March 7, at 1:00 p.m.

Bridge: Thursday, March 9, at 1:00 p.m.

Board Meeting: Tuesday, March 14, at 10:00 a.m.

Mah Jong: Wednesday, March 15, at 1:00 p.m.

Lunch Bunch: Thursday, March 16, at 11:30 a.m.

Day Trip Gals: Friday, March 17, at 10:00 a.m.

Social: Saturday, March 18, at 7:00 p.m.

Mah Jong: No session this week

Day Cards: Thursday, March 23, at 1:00 p.m.

General Meeting: Tuesday, March 28, at 10:00 a.m.

Community Service: Tuesday, March 28, at 11:30 a.m.

Mah Jong: Wednesday, March 29, at 1:00 p.m.

General Meeting: Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.

General Meetings are a time to welcome visitors, hear guest speakers and discuss club business. We invite women who are new or established residents of Greater Winston-Salem to visit us.

The general meetings are held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1416 Bolton Street (just off Silas Creek Parkway, via the Bolton Street exit) at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except August and December)

Our Bad Weather Policy:

In the event of bad weather, our strategy is to follow the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School policy. If school is cancelled, then our meeting is cancelled. If school is on a two-hour delay, we will meet at the regular time.

         February Program: Women's Fund of Winston Salem

Speaker: Sabrina Slade

The Women's Fund of Winston-Salem, a part of The Winston-Salem Foundation, seeks to improve the lives of women and girls by building a community of female philanthropists. The fund provides grants to local programs and initiatives that address the root causes of social issues impacting women and girls in Forsyth County. It was founded in 2006 by a group of women who believed they could make a real difference in the lives of women and girls in their community. Since 2006, membership has grown to include 800 women from all socioeconomic backgrounds and beliefs. The fund has awarded over $1.3 million in grants to local organizations.
 
The Women's Fund believes you don't need to be wealthy to be a philanthropist; it doesn't matter how much you can give. We have several members in Newcomers and Neighbors who participate annually as part of a group membership. The current coordinator for the Newcomers and Neighbors group is Vicki Schwartz. Refer to her article in this issue regarding membership openings for this year.

Sabrina Slade, the director of the Women's Fund, will be here to tell us more about the organization. She'll explain the system of grant voting sessions held every year in the fall, how a local group is formed and how you can become an involved member through your donation.
 

Sabrina Slade has over 22 years of nonprofit management and fundraising experience. She has served as Director of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Durham and Orange County, the Director of The United Way of Forsyth County's Volunteer Center, the Director of the Women's Fund and of The Black Philanthropy Initiatives at the Winston-Salem Foundation. She is a native of Winston-Salem and has a BA in psychology and a Masters of Business Administration

Calendar of Events: February 2017

Please RSVP for all events. Non-members who wish to attend one of our events should contact our Membership Coordinator, Pat Titus, at 336-771-4422 for additional information, or email
wsnandn@aol.com.

Evening Cards: Wednesday, February 1, at 7:00 p.m.

Book Club: Monday, February 6, at 10:00 a.m.: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Bridge: Thursday, February 9, at 1:00 p.m.

Day Trip Gals: Friday, February 10, at 11:30 a.m.

Wine Tasting: Saturday, February 11, at 7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting: Tuesday, February 14, at 10:00 a.m.

Lunch Bunch: Thursday, February 16, at 11:30 a.m.

Travel Talk: Thursday, February 16, at 6:30 p.m.

Day Cards: Thursday, February 23, at 1:00 p.m.

General Meeting: Tuesday, February 28, at 10:00 a.m.

wsnewcomers@gmail.com

   General Meeting: Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.

General Meetings are a time to welcome visitors, hear guest speakers and discuss club business. We invite women who are new or established residents of Greater Winston-Salem to visit us.

The general meetings are held at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1416 Bolton Street (just off Silas Creek Parkway, via the Bolton Street exit) at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except August and December)

 Our Bad Weather Policy:

In the event of bad weather, our strategy is to follow the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School policy. If school is cancelled, then our meeting is cancelled. If school is on a two-hour delay, we will meet at the regular time.

January Program: Normal Aging or Cause for Alarm?

Understanding Age-Related Changes in the Brain

Speaker: Dr. Timothy Hughes, PhD, M.P.H

Forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. As people experience age-related changes in the brain, some may notice that it takes longer to learn new things, that they don’t remember information as well as they did, or they lose things – like those glasses. Many older people worry about these signs of mild forgetfulness. But are they a cause for alarm? What if you misplace things in inappropriate places, like finding your keys in the refrigerator? What if you get lost while walking or driving around a familiar neighborhood? Is it truly time to worry about the onset of dementia? Our January speaker will address these concerns, helping us understand not only what is normal aging but how we can slow down and maybe even reverse some losses.

Join Newcomers & Neighbors at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 24, for a special program by Dr. Timothy Hughes, PhD, M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine. We will also learn about opportunities for participating in ongoing research, not only receiving no-cost evaluations and educational programs, but also advancing an understanding of the aging process.

Dr. Hughes is a neuroepidemiologist whose research is aimed at developing strategies for preventing dementia and general brain aging. He excels in explaining complex research and translating challenging concepts into accessible terminology. To provide enough time for questions, the board voted to extend the program time to 50 minutes. Guests are welcome to attend.

Calendar of Events: January 2017

Please RSVP for all events. Non-members who wish to attend one of our events should contact our Membership Coordinator Pat Titus at 336-771-4422 or e-mail wsnandn@aol.com for additional information.

Evening Cards: Wednesday, January 4, at 7:00 p.m.

Book Club: Monday, January 9, at 10:00 a.m.: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow — the biography upon which the Broadway show Hamilton is based.

Board Meeting: Tuesday, January 10, at 10:00 a.m.

Bridge: Thursday, January 12, at 1:00 p.m.

Lunch Bunch: Thursday, January 19, at 11:30 a.m.

Day Trip Gals: Friday, January 20, at 10:30 a.m.

General Meeting: Tuesday, January 24, at 10:00 a.m.

Day Cards: Thursday, January 26, at 1:00 p.m.

Dinner Out: Friday, January 27, at 5:30 p.m.

General Meetings: November and December 2016

No General Meeting December 2016

General Meetings are a time to welcome visitors, hear guest speakers and discuss club business. We invite women who are new or established residents of Greater Winston Salem to visit us.

General Meetings are held at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except August and December) at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1416 Bolton Street, Winston Salem, NC 27103, just off Silas Creek Parkway, via the Bolton Street exit.

Calendar of Events: December 2016

Please RSVP for all events. Non-members who wish to attend one of our events should contact our Membership Coordinator, Pat Titus, at 336-771-4422 for additional information, or email wsnandn@aol.com.   

Day Trip Gals: Friday, December 2, at 10:30 a.m.

Evening Cards: Wednesday, December 7, at 7:00 p.m.

Bridge: Thursday, December 8, at 1:00 p.m.

Holiday Social: Friday, December 9, at 7:00 p.m.

Board Meeting: Tuesday, December 13, at 10:00 a.m.

Book Club: Will not meet in December

Day Cards: Will not meet in December

Lunch Bunch: Will not meet in December

General Meeting: Tuesday, November 22, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.

General Meetings are a time to welcome visitors, hear guest speakers and discuss club business. We invite women who are new or established residents of Greater Winston Salem to visit us.

General Meetings are held at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except August and December) at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1416 Bolton Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27103, just off Silas Creek Parkway, via the Bolton Street exit.

November Program: Salem Band

Speaker: Dr. Eileen Young, Director

Established in 1771, Salem Band is the oldest, continuous mixed wind ensemble in the nation. Its roots can be traced to the settlers of the original Moravian village of Salem in North Carolina. Emigrating from the music loving areas of Europe, the Moravians brought their love of music – sacred and secular, vocal and instrumental – to the backwoods of North Carolina. Because they were active participants rather than just passive listeners, a musical culture flourished in their North Carolina settlements.

At the November 22 meeting, Salem Band Music Director Eileen Young will talk about the history of Salem Band, its upcoming performances, future plans, and recent accomplishments. Enjoy musical clips from CD recordings of previous Salem Band concerts. Eileen Young, named as Director of Salem Band in 2011, is the first female director of the ensemble, which did not even invite women to play until the 1930’s. Under Dr. Young’s leadership, the band has experienced substantial expansion. Salem Band currently performs five outdoor and three indoor concert programs per season and includes sixty-three members. Dr. Young also instituted sponsored ensembles, including the Salem Swing Band, Salem Saxophone Quartet, Salem Band Tuba Quartet, and the Salem Woodwind Quintet.

Dr. Young received the Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in clarinet performance from UNC Greensboro where she was a winner of the concerto competition. She also received the Master of Music degree in saxophone from the UNC School of the Arts. Dr. Young performs as principal bass clarinet with the Winston-Salem Symphony and principal clarinet with the Salisbury Symphony.

Calendar of Events: November 2016

Please RSVP for all events. Non-members who wish to attend one of our events should contact our Membership Coordinator, Pat Titus, at 336-771-4422 for additional information, or email wsnandn@aol.com.
   

Evening Cards: Wednesday, November 2, at 7:00 p.m.

Day Trip Gals: Friday, November 4, at 10:30 a.m.

Book Club: Monday, November 7, at 10:00 a.m. The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

Board Meeting: Tuesday, November 8, at 10:00 a.m.

Bridge: Thursday, November 10, at 1:00 p.m.

Wine Social: Saturday, November 12, at 7:00 p.m.

Lunch Bunch: Thursday, November 17, at 11:30 a.m.

Day Cards: Thursday, November 17, at 1:00 p.m. (after lunch bunch)

General Meeting: Tuesday, November 22, at 10:00 a.m.