Calling all newbies: Group welcomes people to Le Mars

Wanting to welcome newcomers to Le Mars, Misty Szczech and Karol Horken are ready with welcome baskets and special lunches. In the past year, Horken said she's delivered about 80 baskets to people moving into Le Mars. [Click to enlarge]

Locals and other newcomers are waiting to meet you and welcome you to the community.

Misty Szczech, a Le Mars transplant herself, started hosting meetings for newcomers in August 2008.

Since then her ideas have grown and caught fire with others.

Szczech said her original idea was to welcome people and help them with the basics, like who local doctors are and where to go for hair cuts.

This grew into LOFT, or Lunch On the First Thursday.

These lunches are usually held the first Thursday of each month at a local restaurant or gathering place.

They give newcomers to Le Mars a place to meet each other and other Le Mars residents, ask questions and hear from a featured speaker who shares about an aspect of the community.

"We've had people come from the YMCA, Floyd Valley Hospital, the Plymouth County Fair Board, the Living Center and more. Every time I go I learn something new," Szczech said. "And sometimes we don't have a main speaker -- it's nice to just let people visit."

Today (Thursday) LOFT is at Bellissimo Coffee Works from noon to 1 p.m.

The next LOFT will be noon to 1 p.m. March 11 at Floyd Valley Hospital.

"We also try to host one evening event every quarter for people who can't come to lunchtime meetings," Szczech said.

People who want to host or speak at a LOFT can contact Szczech at 540-1941.

The welcome to Le Mars doesn't end there.

Karol Horken, of Le Mars, was reading about LOFT in the newspaper when she decided she wanted to meet new people in town.

"I thought, 'Wouldn't it be fun to take them information and coupons from the community?'" Horken said. "That's where the idea of a welcome basket evolved."

To date, Horken and other volunteers have delivered about 80 welcome baskets -- actually Blue Bunny ice cream containers -- stuffed with goodies: maps, coupons, brochures for local businesses and organizations and even an ice cream scoop.

"There are more than 48 coupons," Horken said. "And the people from local businesses that put in the coupons want to meet the newcomers and welcome them in. We encourage newcomers to introduce themselves when they stop at businesses."

In the past year, she's delivered baskets to 48 couples and 31 singles new to Le Mars.

If you're new in town, contact the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce at 546-8821 or Horken at 546-5336.

"We get names by word of mouth, and when people stop in at the city hall to get their water hooked up, the city staff asks if they want to sign up for a visit," Horken said.

When she visits, she doesn't only hand over the basket. She also spends some time answering questions and telling them about the community, inviting them to the LOFT gatherings.

And for the ladies, there's one more thing: Coffee Connections.

This women-only gathering happens at 12:30 p.m. every second Tuesday of the month at Bellissimo Coffee Works in Le Mars.

Any women new to town or who would like to bring someone new to Le Mars is invited to join the gathering.

"The goal is to give people a connection," Horken said. "Last time we laughed hard and had a great time."