Newcomers Club to resume monthly events

Sep 2, 2024 | 6:00 AM

People who have just moved to the North Okanagan, or are looking to make new friends or connections, will have an opportunity to do so, starting this month.

The Vernon Area Newcomers Club is set to resume it’s monthly meetings Tuesday, Sept. 3, at the Vernon Public Library.

“[We] help people who are new to the community find activities to do, people with like-minded interests,” Pat Fergusson, a volunteer member with the Newcomers Club, told Vernon Matters.

“Some people are really into sports, some people are into arts and crafts. It’s just a venue for people who can meet others like that, new to the community and finding their way.”

The local volunteer-run club was started in 2019 but shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was restarted in 2022, and has since become a member of the National Newcomers Society.

Council grants

Vernon to distribute over $50k in Council Discretionary Grants, $20K to the food bank

9h ago

Possible firearm involved

One person apprehended in connection with suspicious activity in Coldstream

Dec 13, 2025

Fatal Collision, Highway Closed

One person dead in crash near Revelstoke

Dec 13, 2025

“This last year we had 125 members, and we think that’s fantastic for a community the size of Vernon, so we’re looking to see if there’s other people out there that might be interested in joining our group,” Fergusson said.

“We do a variety of social activities every month. Everything from potlucks to organized tours to dinners out. We have a crafting group; we have a group that goes up skiing together; we have tried a variety of things like hiking, for example.”

The club also arranges for other societies and agencies to attend the monthly meetings so people can learn about existing groups that may pique a person’s interest and inspire them to become a member.

“We have different organizations in the community come out and speak on a topic of interest, so, for example, we’ve had the Garden Club, we’ve had a set of lawyers come out and talk about wills and estates, we’ve had the Vernon Outdoor Club come to us,” Fergusson explained.

“Just showcasing things that they do in the community as a way of getting our members to be more involved. It’s a social group, and it’s also a good way to stay active and to stay sharp, to be engaged, especially as an older person, in the community.”

Though it is called the Newcomers Club, Fergusson told Vernon Matters the group is not exclusive of people who have lived in Vernon and the North Okanagan for a long time but wish to meet new people. She said they are especially welcoming of semi- or recently-retired residents looking to make new connections.

The first Vernon Area Newcomers Club meeting of the season will be held at the library in downtown Vernon at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. The club will hold meetings on the first Tuesday of every month, with the exception of during the summer.

by Liam Verster

View Comments