Another idea that came to me through a podcast. :). Podcasts really give me food for thought.
On my podcast, the host said she wanted to “start another group” in her life. Definition of group? I’m going to say:
something outside of work obligations though it might be work related (like if you’re a development person and you belong to a community philanthropy group)
you get together with other people for a common interest. Could be a “group” of 3 - or 30 or 300!
if brings some satisfaction to your life.
Specific church groups, community groups, book clubs, fitness, health….
What groups do you participate in - or would you like to be part of???
Not official groups but we regularly meet and enjoy time together:
Golf (about 8 of us)
Wine/bourbon(about 15 of us)
We plan golf tournaments including trophy, set up team and individual events, etc. And of course the wine /bourbon group includes many of the same (probably much larger including the wives but they don’t always join) . We are planning a bourbon trail trip that will include golf.
These activities have definitely enhanced my life. They lead to great friendships, interesting conversations (political and otherwise), bringing families together, etc.
I used to belong to several different running groups, a church and a euchre group. I still belong to a book club from my former workplace (we meet online).
Still searching for a running group in my new location and thinking about starting a euchre group. On the fence about joining a new church.
I am in a very supportive online fitness group.
I have always enjoyed being part of a group. I was in numerous clubs in high school and college as well as a sorority. Like @rickle1 I have found a lot of friends in groups and that definitely adds to my enjoyment of life.
I am a firefighter with our Town’s volunteer fire department. I have trainings, work details at least twice a month, social events, fire company meetings – and go on calls of course. It is extremely satisfying and quite a tight community.
This thread is very timely as two of the charity groups I have belonged to for many years are both disbanding this year (got an email about the second one just this morning). I haven’t decided yet if I want to look for a new charity to join at this time.
I stay active with my library (friends group, craft and other events, etc.), belong to about 10 book groups (several for many years), and have a group of “playgroup moms” that have known each other for almost 29 years (from when our firsts were born.)
Our neighborhood association was formed in the 1950s to ensure that it remain racially integrated and also to advocate for issues around the local pond and the nearby elementary school. It is still doing good work. I’ve been on one committee or another since I moved into the neighborhood.
More recently I’ve become part of https://www.healthyyards.org/ helping to found a local chapter. It’s brought me new friends and rekindled old friendships. Wonderful group.
The CC bookclub has also been a wonderful place to hang out.
Our community has over 70 different clubs. DH belongs to the Spirits and Cigars club and the Car club. I ran the Stitcher’s club (knit, crochet, crosstitch, needlepoint, etc.) in our community for the past four years but recently handed it off to another club member. A splinter of my best friends from this group now rotates houses weekly on a different day/time to enjoy working on our projects and talking comfortably about things that did not interest the larger group. I’m much happier with this smaller pod.
Now that I have my new hip, I plan to start walking again soon with a group that circles the perimeter of our golf course every day (about three miles). I’m working up to hiking in our woods in Maine this summer and, of course, dancing at our son’s wedding in June.
But, I would say that CC has been my main enrichment all these long years as far as daily conversation and connection go. There is real community here.
I started a pickleball group last year, and it’s worked out really well. I was a little out of my comfort zone, but I’d heard great things about pickleball and wanted to play, so I took lessons and kept inviting people to play. We are now about 12 people who play 2-3 times each week.
I am in an on-line fitness group.
I do consider CC a group.
That’s about it for me, unless I count various “friend groups,” such as the group of 8 of us - 4 spouses who used to work together and now get together with our spouses twice(ish) a year. We’ve known each other since the late 80s/early 90s, and I can’t even remember when we started our get together s.
I have a group of neighbors that go out for ladies nights, walk, and just started a book club (we moms were in ‘baby playgroup’ two decades ago!).
I’m in another book club that a friend started - I’ve met a bunch of her amazing friends.
I have a small on/off group of running friends from my neighborhood too (young moms - so fun).
I have been an on/off member of local Toastmasters - great people (one of whom came to my dad’s funeral even though we didn’t know each other well - I’ll always remember that).
Groups are great and I’d like to join more, thanks for this reminder, abasket!
I belong to a running club. I belong to several informal groups online made up of college alumni - birding and fitness. I volunteer through my church with a group working with immigrants in our community without papers seeking legal status. I have been invited to join a needle arts group which thanks to my new job and schedule I’ll be able to accept. Oh, and CC.
Thank you for starting this thread and it’s been very interesting reading the responses.
Out of curiosity, how many of groups were you able to participate in while your kids were still in the house vs. now (if you’re an empty-nester)? I feel like I need to do more in my local community, but when I feel terribly overwhelmed when combined with all the activities of the kid and work life.
Also really enjoying the responses - why don’t you all live in MY community?!!
Definitely had less of any thing for me when I had kids at home high school or under. When my last was a sophomore or junior I made a point to start some activities just for me to make the adjustment to no kids home easier - it did! That’s when I started gardening and running/regular fitness.
Not surprisingly I sing in a big women’s chorus. We rehearse once a week and do 2-3 memorized concerts a year. I also sing in a mixed summer group. This one is less formal but we tackle classical pieces. Besides the music I love the teamwork and camaraderie aspects of group singing.
I’ve always sewn and now work in a quilt shop.
The pool where I went to water aerobics permanently closed shortly after it reopened after being shut down for the first 16 months of the pandemic. So I’ve been going to a new pool since June and slowly getting to know people there and persuading people from the old pool to come try it.
I have friends from each of these pursuits with whom I socialize. I especially like it if one of my singing friends comes to the pool, or one of my sewing friends comes to a concert, etc.
I’ve done other stuff in the past and will no doubt do new stuff in the future but these are my constants now. Having communities is important to me.
The groups I belonged to when my daughter was little was - the local PTO, girl scouts, friends of the library, one or two book groups, and the playgroup moms mentioned earlier. I was also more involved then with neighbors who had kids close to my daughter’s age. In short, my groups centered around my daughter and her “groups”. Once she left for college, I found myself looking for new “groups” as the parents of my daughter’s friends and I no longer had much in common.
