| | Published September 14th, 2011
| Moraga Newcomers Club
| | By Sophie Braccini |  | | Natalie Hubbard (right) brings a welcoming gift to the home of new resident Dr. Monica Sood Patel
Photo Sophie Braccini
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When Natalie Hubbard arrived in Moraga from Seattle during the summer of 2010, she had difficulty cracking the Moraga social nut. "We went to all the concerts during the summer but we just sat by ourselves, there was no real avenue to meet people," she remembers. It was only after school started that she began to create a new network for her family.
Making new friendships can be daunting," she says. A year later, much more comfortable in the community, Hubbard decided to launch a Newcomers Club so people who are moving, or even just considering a move, to Moraga can get information and a warm welcome. With the help of Town Staff, she put together a welcome pail and brought the first one to the Sood Patels on August 26-the family recently moved to Moraga from New York City.
When she arrived at the door, Hubbard was all smiles and her bubbly personality immediately resonated with Monica Sood Patel. The young doctor's daughter also came to the door and curiously inventoried the goodies that Hubbard collected for them with the help of Parks and Recreation Director Jay Ingram.
Inside the pail were dried herbs from Hollie Lucas-Alcalay's local farm, the Chamber of Commerce Directory and Guide that lists important numbers, resources, and offers a bit of town history (available online on the Chamber's web site), the Chamber's restaurant guide, the latest Recreation and Activities Guide, and a Parks and Recreation tee-shirt.
"We are just starting this service," says Hubbard, "I hope that other businesses will want to also provide goodies, samples, or special offers to new people coming to town."
Sood Patel was full of questions for Hubbard. The two women discussed neighborhoods, parks, activities, and emergency preparedness. The new family had never been to Rancho Laguna Park or to the Hacienda de las Flores, they had no idea that there were so many trails around Moraga and that a trail permit could be purchased at the Parks and Recreation Department. "Are there a lot of other working mothers with young children around here?" asked Sood Patel. Hubbard invited her to come to a meeting of the Moraga Juniors so she could get in touch with other women with similar concerns.
"The Club will facilitate entering a new group or not feeling awkward in a social gathering where you do not know anyone," says Hubbard. Working with Economic Development Director Rene Zeimer, she is developing a web site where people can find information regarding everyday life in Moraga and a way to get in touch with real people. "We like the feel of Moraga, it is secluded, beautiful, and a good fit for our family," says Hubbard, "we want to communicate that to potential and new people arriving here."
Hubbard would like a few volunteers from different neighborhoods and age groups who could be welcoming resources to newcomers. Interested residents can contact her at nattyhubbard1@gmail.com.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA