Newcomers club establishes friendship, camaraderie in Granbury women

The Lake Granbury Newcomers Club — one of the largest and oldest clubs in Hood County — has been promoting lasting friendships among new and established Granbury residents since its founding in 1978.

For 44 years, women have joined LGNC to connect with like-minded members of their community and establish close relationships and bonds with other members.

Susy Korth, daughter of one of the original LGNC members, Louise Rice, said her mom’s friend Helen Shorter first began a greeter business in the 1970s for new residents in Granbury. She later decided to create the Newcomers Club specifically for new community members. After placing a notice in the local newspaper, 25 ladies showed up for the club’s initial meeting.

The club has grown exponentially over the years. To date, LGNC now has 419 members, as well as a new logo.

“There are three words incorporated in the logo that personify benefits of LGNC membership: Friendship, Community, Inspiration,” wrote Kelley Class, president of LGNC, in an email. “COVID robbed people of the joy of personal relationships and social gathering. As president this past year, I took a line from Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 song and continued reminding members that ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun.’ And we did!”

Members of LGNC enjoy monthly luncheons with guest speakers the first Thursday of every month from September through May. The luncheons are held at either DeCordova Bend Estates Country Club or Pecan Plantation Country Club.

Past guest speakers have included: Tammy Dooley, executive director of Visit Granbury, comedian Frank Cheek, humorist Dr. Dennis Swanberg, local artist James Spurlock and retired FBI agent Thomas Class, Kelley’s husband.

In addition to guest speakers, meetings include a social time, club reports and updates, followed by door prizes and lunch.

Proceeds from membership dues and door prize ticket sales fund scholarships to graduating female Hood County students each year. In May, LGNC awarded two $2,000 scholarships to two young women. Additionally, grants of $2,000 were distributed to five local charitable organizations: Hood County Children’s Charity Fund, People Helping People, Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary of Hood County, Christmas for Children and Paluxy River Children’s Advocacy Center.

In total, LGNC contributed $14,000 to residents of Hood County without conducting a fundraiser.

Members of LGNC also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of special interest groups like crafting, needlework and a book group as well as games like bunco, bridge, hand & foot, mah-jongg and onze, along with several other monthly activities.

“Kelley always says, ‘If you’re bored, it’s by choice,’ because there’s so much to do and so many activities. Anything that sort of suits your fancy, you have an opportunity to go to, and then you meet more people,” said Kathy Norwood, publicity chair of LGNC. “I'm in the bunco group. I'd never have played bunco in my life, but I've met this wonderful group of women who I just adore, and we're all different and yet really similar, so it's really been nice to meet some new people.”

Class relocated from Washington D.C. to Granbury with her husband in 2015, making it her eighth move in 12 years. By joining LGNC, it allowed Class to easily become part of the community.

“Joining the Newcomers Club was a godsend, providing me with an immediate, established social network here in Granbury,” she said. “I enjoy meeting and spending time with other newcomers through sharing meals together, taking day trips, playing games, and attending social gatherings, some of which offer my husband the opportunity to meet other guys. We have interesting general meetings with guest speakers that cover a wide variety of topics. But even more rewarding, is the joy of introducing other ladies to this wonderful group of women who have so graciously enriched my life.”

“I just think what's really nice about the newcomers club is that people are very welcoming and the women are very nice and friendly,” Norwood said. “You immediately connect with someone, and then there's all these opportunities to get to know people better, which is really nice. It’s a great way to meet people when you don’t know anybody yet.”

Contrary to its name, however, the Lake Granbury Newcomers Club is not limited to new residents.

“Newcomer’s is a misnomer; you don’t have to be new here to become a member,” Class said.

“You can be new and also not new. There's no stipulation that you have to be just a new resident. It's really for people to get a chance to meet other people,” Norwood said.

Annual membership dues for LGNC are $25 for the period of one fiscal year, June 1 through May 31 of the following year. Prospective members are welcome to attend two events prior to joining. Guest meal costs are the same as for members — $17.

“I love it when clubs start really small, and then they grow into this really wonderful organization that's really helping people to some degree and also helping us know ourselves better, meet people and make friends,” Norwood added. “We want people to come and to feel welcomed, like they're a part of the community. That's what we really want — to be welcoming.”

There is also some discussion about creating a young professional newcomers club geared to Hood County residents under 40.

Membership in the Lake Granbury Newcomers Club is open to women in the Granbury and surrounding areas. To join, complete the membership application and return it, along with annual dues, to the post office box listed on the form. To access the membership application, visit lakegranburynewcomers.org/membership/.

For more information, visit the website at lakegranburynewcomers.org or visit the public Facebook group, Granbury Newcomers Club.