Dear Readers: On Sept. 10, “Loner But Not Alone” asked for advice about making connections. She was a retired self-described loner who realized that most of her social connections had been through work. Many of you replied with fantastic, creative suggestions that would surely be of use to anyone, of any age, seeking community. I’ve attached a few below.
“Look at the list of charities to which you already contribute. Some of them may offer volunteer activities where you will find people who share your interests. Working with fellow volunteers has started many new friendships (in the 40 to 90 age range) and has taken me in unexpected directions, e.g., who knew tending animal rescues could lead to a fellow reader of British mysteries?”
“There is an incredible network of women’s clubs in America devoted to community service that began at the end of the 19th century. Even small communities like mine (320 population) have a thriving, very active club. The national organization, located in Washington, D.C., is called the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (gfwc.org).”
“I have been involved with local theater for decades, and I can say that you can meet several people from various age groups and gain friendships that endure for years. Beyond acting, there is a tremendous amount of backstage work that needs volunteers, from costuming to prop collecting to set construction to program design.”
“Go where the music is playing, attend the county events in the parks, attend festivals that are happening, and attend some sporting events at restaurants, sports bars, and arenas.”
“Lifelong Learners Organizations exist in 124 locations, attached to colleges and universities, and are called OSHER Lifelong Learning Institutes.”
“Find out if your local library has a Friends of the Library group or start one if they don’t. Many libraries also have Maker Spaces and classes.”
“I posted a note on our Nextdoor website to see if there were other women over 60 who might want to get together occasionally for lunch, etc. I had 56 positive replies! We met in two groups at a restaurant, and the group soon evolved to include a weekly breakfast and a weekly happy hour at local restaurants.”
“Picking up trash seems disgusting, but a great way to meet neighbors.”
(Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at eric@askingeric.com or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.)
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