Who's New in Madison, Inc.
Where new faces become old friends.

Capital Times Date: Wednesday, March 1, 2000

Kimberly Hazen moved to Madison's northeast side from Janesville in 1994 and knew no one. Through her Realtor she found Who's New in Madison Inc., and the organization immediately made her feel at home in a new city. In effect, it fulfilled its charter.

``When you move to a new city it is hard to feel acclimated right away. It is almost like a milestone when you actually bump into someone at the mall or on State Street. It's actually kind of neat,'' said Hazen, who at 34 is one of the group's youngest members. Hazen, who has an 18-month-old daughter, Zoe, started a play group for kids within Who's New called ``Mothers of Young Children,'' where the mothers can find some adult conversation for a couple of hours. ``It was called `Young Moms,' but some of us aren't very young,'' said Hazen, who will soon take over as Who's New president. ``I've been real active in the group because I feel like I've gotten a lot from it and I want to give back to it,'' she said.

The 65-year-old social organization helps newcomers develop a network of friends and feel more comfortable in Madison. It has more than 300 members and about two dozen activity groups -- including seven bridge clubs, golf, cross country skiing, bowling, two book clubs, a moviegoers club, tennis, a couples gourmet club and an antique study group. The membership of Who's New is primarily female, though spouses join in some activities, and most active members are 50 or older.

``It's neat to be in a group that has no ulterior motives. The people that are in Who's New are in it for purely social reasons. Nobody is trying to sell you anything,'' Hazen said.

Sandy Sears, a past president of the organization, calls herself ``one of those old-fashioned homemakers'' and said that Who's New proved invaluable when her 25-year-old daughter died in an automobile accident in Montana. ``It's an ongoing grief process but if it hadn't been for my friends in Who's New. They helped in a very trying time,'' said Sears. ``They were just there. They came with food, with hugs and with shared tears.''

Who's New President Sheila Tuber was one of those who supported Sears through her tragedy. Tuber moved to Madison in August 1997 and joined Who's New a week or two later. Originally from Chicago, she has moved six times and is no stranger to newcomer's groups. ``I have lived in several cities and know how important newcomer's groups are to someone's well-being once they've moved,'' said Tuber, who moved to Milwaukee, Phoenix, Nashville, Richmond, Va., and Atlanta before arriving in Madison. With a little help from Who's New, Tuber said she is enjoying Madison immensely.

Under normal circumstances, new members are required to have moved to Madison within the past two years. But every September the club offers an amnesty month in which anyone can join. Although Who's New is mostly a social group, each year the organization sponsors a charity, this year the Humane Society. They raise money with a holiday bazaar in December and an auction in May.

Membership Chairwoman June McCowin joined the club about a year after she and her husband moved to Madison's north side from the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove. At first they were busy settling into their home. ``But then you look around and say `Now what?' '' she recalled. McCowin, 60, estimates she has made 30 or 40 friendships through the group and credits it for the decision she and she husband Michael made to stay in Madison after his retirement.

Claudia Brown, 45, describes herself as a stay-at-home mom who is rarely home. She likes to stay active, and that was difficult at first when she and her husband, David, moved here 2+ years ago from Bloomington, Ind., after he accepted a job as a finance professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. ``Who's New provided an opportunity to meet new people and talk to someone other than children,'' said Brown, who lives in Shorewood Hills with her 15-, 13- and 10-year-old kids. What has surprised Brown most about the group is the number of older people who have just moved to Madison, who are retiring here instead of heading south.

At 85, Kathryn Mattson is the group's oldest and longest-serving member. She joined after moving here from Minneapolis in 1966, at which time there were about 40 women in the club. What does she like most about Who's New? ``I think meeting the new girls, joining in some of the activities and having something to do,'' said the former beautician, who with her husband, Eric, will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary this summer. ``I'm kind of old now, and it gets me out of the house.''