Interest Groups
NOTE: Complete details and the scheduled meeting of each interest group can be found in our newsletter. Unless otherwise noted, Newcomers groups meet monthly in different members’ homes. Each group is informal, friendly, and involves meals or refreshments – except for the Walking group, which uniquely does not eat when they meet!
Table of Contents
BOOK CLUB
We offer lively discussions of fiction and non-fiction like murder mystery The Tenderness of Wolves, well-written history No Ordinary Time, or international novel Five Quarters of the Orange. Volunteers do research and then lead our discussions. Titles selected by group vote are generally borrowed through Wake Co. Libraries’ Book Club program. We meet on the 3rd Wednesday at 1:00pm.
BRIDGE 4 FUN – EVENING
Like daytime bridge, our games are relaxed and casual, and we welcome all skill levels. You can play in both bridge groups, of course. We also meet twice a month, on the 2nd and 4th Monday, at 7:00pm.
BUNCO
We are happy to kick off 2009 with the new Bunco group. Bunco is a social game that is played with dice and can be learned in two minutes! Please bring a sack lunch. Drinks and dessert will be provided.
CANASTA
Some of us learned this excellent game from our grandmothers. You can refresh and sharpen your card-playing skills here. We meet on the second Tuesday at the TPC at Wakefield Plantation. We start at 11:00 am with lunch, then play from noon until approximately 4:00 pm.
CINEMA SCENE
We feature films not available in local movie theaters, including classic, foreign, and art films. Examples are “The History Boys” (2006), “Breaking Away” (1979), “Adam’s Rib” (1949). Films are not analyzed, just enjoyed with brief introduction and post-movie discussion. We meet on the 2nd Wednesday at 1:30pm in members’ homes or clubhouse theaters.
DOMINOES
This interesting game of chance and strategy creates lots of fun while we connect both friends and dots. We play the Mexican train style of dominos. And we meet on the 4th Wednesday at noon.
EUCHRE
Euchre is a card game that’s popular in the Midwest and simple to learn. You play with five cards, combining luck with a little strategy. Members rotate among the tables, so you get to play with everyone. We meet the 1st Saturday at 7:00pm.
FUN & GAMES
Come join us for an evening of fun. Members will decide on the games to play, such as Skip-Bo, Scattergories, Dominoes, Boogle, or Scrabble. Any game suggestions are welcome. We usually meet in the evening the 2nd Saturday of the month.
GARDEN CLUB
As flower and plant enthusiasts, we enjoy visits to home gardens, garden centers, specialty nurseries, and arboretums. Sometimes we invite an expert to speak on a topic like herbs, container gardening, or drought-resistant and native plants. We meet the 4th Tuesday at 10:30am in various locations.
INTERNATIONAL COFFEE
This group includes members who are from another country or have lived for a significant period of time in a country other than USA. We share our different and interesting life experiences and adjustments as well as current activities. We meet for coffee or lunch in members’ homes or restaurants on the 4th Thursday at 11:30am for lunch or earlier for coffee.
LUNCH BUNCH
Lots of cheerful conversation happens during our lunches at local restaurants. We sample a wide variety of menus, ambiance, and locations. Our special December outing included a tour of the Executive Mansion in holiday décor coupled with lunch at Duck & Dumpling, a fine downtown Asian restaurant. We meet on the 2nd Friday at 11:45am.
MAH JONGG
Our group of devoted players gets together every week to enjoy this Chinese tile game. It’s played with a Mah Jongg card, 4 people at a table. Beginners are taught to play separately from more skilled members. We meet at the Raleigh Moose Family Center every Monday at 12.30pm.
MEN'S BREAKFAST GROUP
Newcomers men gather for breakfast or just coffee. There’s no agenda, no RSVPs – just far-ranging informal conversation and interesting company. We laughingly call ourselves the RAMBOs – Retired Active Men Breakfasting Out! But working men are welcome too. We meet at Mimi’s Café on the 3rd Tuesday at 9:00am.
PING PONG
If you enjoy an evening of fun and exercise, join our new group of ping-pong players. All skill levels are invited. All ages, couples and singles are welcome. Instruction in the rules and skills of ping-pong will be provided as required.
QUILTING
Quilters of all skill levels are welcome to join us for a friendly morning of quilting and chat. Members include both hand quilters and machine quilters. Our group has donated quilts for US soldiers several times. We meet on the 1st Wednesday at 9:30am.
RESTAURANT CRITIQUE
Meeting to enjoy and not to criticize, we typically proceed to a local, moderately-priced restaurant for dinner. In more than five years, we’ve never gone to the same restaurant twice! We meet on the 3rd Saturday at 7:00pm.
RUBBER STAMPING
All rubber stamping enthusiasts and those who want to try the craft are invited to try us out. We bring our own supplies and projects to work on: cards, tissue paper, gift bags, etc. The group shares ideas, techniques, and stamps. Every so often, we create hand-made cards for terminally ill children. We meet on the 2nd Thursday at 1:00 pm.
STITCH ‘N’ CHAT
Bring your current project or come to just sit ‘n’ chat. You’re welcome whether you knit, crochet, quilt, cross stitch, needlepoint, bead or are just putting a hem in something. Or bring your mending. As a special project, we recently knitted slippers for a woman’s shelter. We meet on the 3rd Thursday from 1:00 to 3:00pm.
WALKING GROUP
Tired of trying to motivate yourself to walk? Join our energetic walking group to enjoy great conversations while we stay fit! We usually walk at 9:00 a.m. each Wednesday at various local parks, or indoors if inclement weather.
WEEKENDERS
"Weekenders" is a new interest group, a sort of reinvention of a former interest group, "Young Ones". The activities of "Weekenders" will focus on the many social scenes and venues Raleigh and its surrounding areas have to offer. The scheduling of this group's activities attempts to alleviate conflicts within a typical work schedule, i.e. weekday evenings and weekends. All are welcome and encouraged to attend, working or retired, new members or established, single or not.
WINE TASTING
This is the perfect activity if you like wine with your meals. Led by an expert wine educator, we taste different varieties of red and white wine and learn about the wine regions where the grapes grow. Each participant or couple brings a dish to share that’s chosen to complement the wines. We meet on the 4th Saturday at 6:00pm.