New in town? Get a neighborly welcome

Moving is a pain. So after an afternoon of back breaking lifting and a living room full of boxes you decide to grab a bite only to realize you have no idea where to go. What do you do when you're new in town and have no idea where the grocery store is or how to get there? You call Neighborhood Welcome, of course!

When Kathy Oleinik moved to Pewaukee around 30 years ago, she would drive back into Milwaukee to do her shopping and see her doctors because she had no idea where to find these services in her new town.

"I didn't know what was available out here," she remembers.

Finally, a few months after moving, a Welcome Wagon representative showed up at Oleinik's door and told her about the eye doctors, the drugstore, "and places I didn't know anything about," Oleinik added. "I got to know my own community, it was wonderful. That always stuck with me."

Oleinik was impressed with the service Welcome Wagon provided so she joined the company in 1992. When Welcome Wagon stopped making house calls in 1999 she felt the need to do something. So in 2000 Oleinik started her business called Neighborhood Welcome.

A warm welcome

Oleinik and her team of four part-time employees visit between 40 and 50 recently moved families in Waukesha and 20 to 25 families in Pewaukee each month. They welcome each family with a variety of resources including maps, handy phone numbers, and information about garbage and recycling, Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS), area parks and "all the things that make this community home."

Because people of different ages and backgrounds need connections to different resources "this is individualized and personalized for them," Oleinik said about the visits.

Newcomers are referred to Neighborhood Welcome by realtors, landlords, family, friends, and even fellow neighbors. People can request a visit for themselves, too.

Oleinik and her colleagues spend as much time as needed with the new family, but typically stay around 45 minutes. During her visits Oleinik has met people from around the country and around the world, some of whom have become her friends. People moving from farther away tend to use more of the resources Neighborhood Welcome offers but most everyone is appreciate of the visit.

No one visit has been especially memorable to Oleinik; rather her job has given her years of satisfaction knowing that she is making a difference for her neighbors.

"There are people I've laughed with, people I've cried with. I love it. This is the best job in the world," said Oleinik.

A Neighborhood Welcome visit is entirely free for the newcomer.

A customers greeting

Hoping to connect new residents with local businesses, coupons and other promotions from local businesses are also handed out during the welcome. Business partners are what allow Oleinik and her crew to do this as a paying job.

At the heart of it all is a desire to connect new neighbors to local, reputable businesses, and in turn businesses with the opportunity to gain a new customer.

Business sponsors are from a variety of fields including insurance, healthy living, legal and medical services, restaurants and senior services to name a few.

"It's a really nice way to introduce someone new in the area to local businesses which I think is wonderful" Jason Knutson, executive chef at the 5 O'Clock Club in Pewaukee and Neighborhood Welcome business sponsor said.

Gift certificates to the 5 O'Clock Club are among the items Oleinik hands out during her visits. Knutson said Neighborhood Welcome has definitely brought in new customers.

"Hopefully they'll return again and again and be part of our friends and family group," said Knutson.

Rich McNutt, local handyman and owner of RMC Enterprises, is also a business sponsor of Neighborhood Welcome. Being in the service business, word-of-mouth referrals are key. For McNutt, Oleinik provides just that.

After years of advertising in the phone book, "I get most customers from her, (more) than the Yellow Pages," McNutt said.

"She's seen enough of my work that she does know the things I'm capable of," he added of Oleinik. "She handles her business very professionally."

For more information or to schedule a Neighborhood Welcome, visit www.pewaukeeneighborhoodwelcome.com or call Oleinik at (262) 691-4066.

FYI

Who: Neighborhood Welcome

What: Personal visits to newcomers that include information about the community's businesses, services and organizations as well as maps, handy phone numbers and other resources

Cost: Free

Information: www.pewaukeeneighborhoodwelcome.com or call Kathy Olenik at (262) 691-4066