WHAT MEMBERSHIP OFFERS

Gainesville Newcomers Club’s service to the community is an important part of our mission.  Each month a Hall County charitable organization is designated as the recipient of our club’s support.  Members can contribute in various ways, including online donations.  Recent recipients are organizations such as Meals on Wheels of Gainesville-Hall County, Georgia Mountain Food Bank, Good News at Noon Homeless shelter, Northeast Georgia Humane Society, My Sister’s Place, Habitat for Humanity of Hall County, CASA and Blue Star Mothers. Supported groups vary throughout the years, but many have benefited from the generosity of our members.

Our twenty-seven diverse Interest Groups provide the opportunity for members to share their love of gardening, writing, hiking, painting, reading, and playing cards and other games.  Some focus on attending live theater and concerts, and still others explore wine tasting and a wide variety of cuisines.  Follow this Interest Groups  link for more information on our Interest Groups.   Join us and find kindred spirits in Gainesville!

TO BECOME A MEMBER

   GNC has a membership of over 500 women, many who are new to the Gainesville area and eager to make new friends.

NEW MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN TO WOMEN WHO HAVE LIVED IN GAINESVILLE OR HALL COUNTY LESS THAN THREE YEARS.

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In 1959, the poultry industry was booming in Hall County, Georgia.  New families were moving into the County at the rate of 30 to 40 per month.  John W. Jacobs, Jr., owner of The Tribune weekly newspaper and radio station WDUN, saw a need to help these newcomers get established and become contributing members of the community.

Mr. Jacobs enlisted the help of Mary Williams, hospitality hostess for the Georgia Power Company. When Mrs. Williams visited new power company customers, she issued an invitation for a monthly morning coffee that was held at the Dixie Hunt Hotel (Hunt Tower) in Gainesville.  Clara Martin, Women’s Editor of The Tribune, coordinated the work of pulling it all together.  She set up the meetings, took pictures and placed write ups in the newspaper. Mr. Jacobs, truly the founding father of the Gainesville Newcomers Club, advertised the monthly coffees on WDUN radio and The Tribune.  There were 50 women at the first meeting of the Gainesville Newcomers Club.

The first officers were elected in 1960.  Under the guidance of Clara Martin, the founding coordinator, Peggy Woodford, the first president 1960/1961, and her officers met to write the Constitution and Bylaws for the Club. The goal of the Club was to help newcomers assimilate into the community. Programs focused on the Hall County community, including volunteer opportunities, local politics and history. By the late 1960s, interest groups had been formed and were meeting regularly.

By 2010, membership had grown from the 60 women who attended that first coffee in 1959 to a total of 312 members. There were 23 Interest Groups. This Club loves to eat . . . just ask the Lunch Bunch, Sun, Sail and Ale, and the Dining Groups. Even the Hiking Group tells you to bring a snack for the trail, and after the hike they go for lunch. Fashion Shows were always a hit, attended by well over 200 members and guests.

As the years passed, the Club began to invest in and use technology.  A website was created where members could register and remit payments online for membership dues and events.   Members enjoyed annual special events such as the “Denim and Diamonds” held at the Gainesville Botanical Garden. We closed out 2017 with a membership of 527 women. 

As we begin the year 2022, the Gainesville Newcomers Club continues to welcome newcomers to our community as well as provide service to Hall County through volunteer service,  as well as generous financial support to a variety of local organizations. We commit $200 per month to Meals on Wheels and normally donate even more each year.

We sincerely hope that 2022 will be a year of celebration and remembrance with a focus on the future.  As we hear so often, “The best is yet to come!”

Lanier Nursery and Gardens sponsors a radio show called New Southern Garden.  It broadcasts live every Saturday on WRWH 93.9 FM at 10 am and then a repeat broadcast that evening at 8 pm.  93.9FM is a local station in Cleveland, Ga. and the signal doesn't reach some parts of Hall county, so the show has a website (www.newsoutherngarden.com) which offers every episode of the program since the beginning. For smartphones or other devices, New Southern Garden is also available as a podcast on most podcasting apps, such as Apple Podcasts (for Apple Products), Google Play Music (for Android Products), Spotify, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and more!  We invite everyone to tune in to the show and learn to garden well!