New resident in Rio Ponderosa
 

Hi! I love living in this older section of The Villages called Rio Ponderosa, but have found it hard to connect with neighbors in this area. I've noticed in the new villages south of #466 the neighbors are going all out to get to know each other with driveway parties, meet/greets, etc. My sister lives there, and she knows ALL of her neighbors. I understand that I'm in a well-established village and the original owners have probably gone through this process years ago, but now it seems there are many new residents in pre-owned homes like me aged 55-75. Any ideas on how I can connect with these people and, hopefully, make some new friends?

You could have an open house at your house say from 4-7 p.m. and invite them all to come. It's a great way to meet your neighbors. You could start up a ladies group in your neighborhood of a luncheon out once a month. Sometimes a neighborhood just needs an organizer.

I have a place in the Ponderosa! There is a women's social I think the third Tuesday at Chula Vista. If you haven't been, this might be a good way to connect! I am not here during the week, so I haven't attended a meeting yet.
We are in the Patio Villa Section, where are you?

Another way to meet people in your area is to start going to activities in the local Rec center, start learning pickleball, shuffleboard, bocce, etc...another good way is to start walking in your neighborhood and slowly but surely you'll meet people. It is difinitely harder in the older neighborhoods. Don't give up !

Response to Pammy
 

I live on Corona in a ranch house. I did attend last month's meeting of the ladies group at Chula Vista. The ladies there were very welcoming, but most were original owners who had been attending for many years with whom I didn't have much in common. Unfortunately, we didn't share the same enthusiasms. Perhaps I'll host a driveway meet/greet. Thanks for the response.

Hi Heitlauf, I also have a place in the Ponderosa! We still have 3 years till retirement so we are snowflakes till then. It is a quiet Village right now, but it won't be long till you start seeing many new Villagers moving into your area.

I welcome you to The Villages and loved that you so diplomatically said what you said about the ladies attending for many years.

Have a coffee and gather your neighbors, and I hope you will enjoy them, BUT...if they aren't interested in the same things, you have almost 100 thousand folks who live here outside your village and I would imagine that you will find a bunch of folks very soon who will be your buddies for the long haul.

Welcome to lower Paradise!

I know there are quite a few of newbies to our village. I have met two new neighbors this past week and I see moving trucks frequently! My husband will be retiring in three years and we will be here full time. We are lucky to be from FL so we come every weekend and holiday! So there are new people here in your age group, we just need to figure this out. Some members of a new band, Vinyl Recall, who are from The Ponderosa will be at Tierra Del Sol on March 29. There will be others there from our village as well as other villages. I will be there, come say hi!

i have a place in Ponderosa too!
 

snowflakes for 4 more years....but thinking of The Villages every day....

I sent you my contact info....so please feel free to call!

sonja and jeff