Monthly Gatherings
Members come together on the second Tuesday of each month from September to May for a cocktail party, holiday lunch or a dinner with speakers who are experts on local topics of interest. It is a great way to meet new friends. Contact VP for more information.
Island Adventures
How about taking a voyage on a working shrimp boat – and sampling the catch while you are on board! Visit nearby historical islands and plantations. Explore Cumberland, Sapelo and Jekyll Islands. Tour King’s Bay Submarine Base or take a day trip to the Okefenokee Swamp. And more. Contact Island_Adventures for more information.
Dining In
Dining In is an enjoyable way to get acquainted with newcomers. Each participating individual or couple must host two dinner parties in their home during the year. In the months you are not hosting, you will be guests at the homes of others. Each month you will meet new people as the groups change monthly.
Dinners are scheduled for: October, November, January, February, March and April. In December and May, cocktail parties with all Dining In members will be held. Hosting a dinner party involves planning a meal for eight people. Hosts provide the main course and all beverages. Guests will bring appetizers, dessert or a side dish as requested by the host.
The relaxed nature of the in-home experience offers good conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. If you would like to join or have questions, please contact DINING IN for more details.
Dining Out
Dining Out is a great way to meet new people, sample different types of food, with no worries about planning a menu, cooking a meal or cleaning up afterwards! The island offers a variety of cuisines and price ranges, from Sushi to Cajun, pizza to tapas and, of course, fresh seafood. It’s a recipe for fun and adventure! Each month you will be assigned to a different group of six to eight people. A designated host plans the group’s dining out event with date, choice of restaurant, and type of meal – breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Meals at the restaurant are “Dutch Treat”. Each member of Dining Out will be asked to host once or twice during the October to May season. Contact DINING OUT for more information.
Golf
Newcomer golf is for anyone at any level of golf. We have mixed groups and mixed ability levels. The goal is to have fun and meet some new islanders. We play at Sea Palms every other Thursday at 2:00. Emails are sent out a few days before to remind you to sign up by Monday evening if you are going to play on Thursday. This year you may choose to play 9 holes and if you want to play more, add another 9 holes. The cost for 9 holes is $35 which includes cart and greens fees. For 18 holes, the cost is $45 which includes cart and greens fees. After play, many of us get together for a beverage in The Public House at Sea Palms. We hope that you will join us for that as well as well as the golf. For more information contact Golf.
Great Decisions
The Great Decisions group is composed of interested individuals gathered in a “safe” environment where each participant’s point of view carries equal weight and everyone is encouraged to share opinions and ideas. Consensus is not a goal and there is a mutual respect for each member’s experiences, value systems and beliefs. Great Decisions uses a briefing book, an introductory video each week and things like the Great Decisions Online e-newsletter for further study of a topic. For more information contact Great Decisions.
Book Clubs
Members of Island Newcomers are invited to participate in monthly book club meetings to discuss books selected by their group. Books are usually fiction, but occasionally not, depending on the group’s interests and opinions. For those who delight in reading, this is a good way to unwind with a light snack, share viewpoints, and became acquainted with other new St Simons Island residents. There are several day and evening groups, and new groups are formed each year. For more information EMAIL Book Club.
Adopt-a-Highway
The Adopt-A-Highway Group meets one the first Saturday of every month. We normally meet at 8:30 am at the corner of Hamilton Rd and Sea Island Road and then spend a couple of hours cleaning up the roads around the St Simons Entrance Gateway project. Everyone is welcome as we provide this service to help keep our Island beautiful. Contact Adopt-a-Highway for more information.
Bridge
Newcomers Bridge welcomes all bridge players, no matter what your level. The group meets on the third Thursday of the month. Each month different members host with the option of meeting in a member’s home from 1:00 – 3:30 pm or selecting a restaurant to meet at for lunch at 12:30 pm and then staying to play bridge until 3:00 pm. The member host communicates menu options to the players and notifies restaurant of players’ choices of menu and drinks. For more information contact Bridge.
Bowling
Bowling is a great activity for getting to know people. We welcome all levels from gutter ball bowlers to those who used to be pretty good back in the day. You can sign up as a couple or single. We meet the last Monday of every month at 6:30 to bowl 2 games at Strike Zone in Brunswick (by I-95 Toyota). The $10 cost includes bowling and shoe rental. Anyone who’d like to continue after we finish is welcome to bowl until 10pm at no additional charge. For more information contact Bowling.
Mahjong
The fascinating game of tiles, luck and strategy for men and women. Accepting experienced players and those want to learn. This fun, sociable, competitive and challenging game keeps our minds active and entertained. For more information contact Mahjong for information and details.
Island Buddies
Who we are: A congenial group of fun loving adults who gather informally to explore the island’s many activities as well as meeting quarterly to stay in touch and share information. For more information contact Island Buddies.
Volunteering
Volunteering is one of the best ways to become invested and connected to our new community while making an investment in yourself.
The volunteer opportunities on St. Simons and in greater Glynn County are numerous whether you enjoy gardening, history, music or working with children. The organizations in our area looking for volunteers run the entire scope of human interest. You can choose to teach at-risk youth how to golf, act as a docent at our local lighthouse, work for Glynn Visual Arts, and so on. The choices are wide and varied. Please take time to look at the Volunteer Page of the Newcomers website for a list of organizations in our area looking for volunteers. Each month our newsletter will highlight an individual volunteer from Island Newcomers Club, or an organization looking for volunteers, so we can explore available opportunities. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities please email Volunteers for more information.
Follow us on Facebook
Want to know more about what’s going on your new home island? Want to find others with common interests? Want a recommendation for a repairman or service provider? Then join the Island Newcomers Club group on Facebook. It is a closed group available to registered Island Newcomers members and posts can only be made by, and will only appear to, approved members.
Our Facebook page will have Sponsor Spotlights, Meet the Members, Volunteer opportunities, and Upcoming Events posted on a regular basis along with Event Sites for Island Newcomer gatherings, adventures, and activities. And lots and lots of pictures of the good times being had by Island Newcomers.
Members are encouraged to use the page as a community forum when looking for a walking buddy, a tennis partner, to make a playdate, looking for information on any topic. Have relatives coming in and need suggestions? Looking for ideas and playmates for visiting grandchildren?
The Island Newcomers Club Facebook group can be a great resource in learning about your new island home and neighbors.
There is a link to Island Newcomers Club Facebook group on the home page of the Island Newcomers website.
Membership and Guest Policies
Membership in Island Newcomers is open to all residents of less than two years on St Simons Island or Sea Island and you may be a member for three years after which time you are encouraged to move on to one of the “after Newcomers” organizations on the Island. Members may join between July 1st and February 29th.
Guest(s) of members are welcome to monthly Gatherings unless posting for the Gathering specifies limited space available. Guest(s) of members are welcome to any other Club events provided there is space available following the sign-up of all members who wish to participate. Members wishing to bring guests should contact the event organizer who will let them know if space is available after member registrations are complete. Members may not bring the same guest(s) to more than two events in a Club year.
To become a member – complete a Membership Application and pay the annual dues of $40/person online using the link found on our Homepage. Any questions, please contact Membership.
