Boquete Connection Club

This group will promote events centered on healthy communication, connection and wellness concepts for living your best life and having enriching experiences in healthy community. Let's connect in Boquete, Chiriquí, Panama.

Eso grupo es para eventos centrados en conceptos saludables de comunicación, conexión y bienestar para vivir la mejor vida en una buena comunidad en Boquete, Chiriquí, Panama. Muchos eventos van a estar en inglés, pero si hay muchos hispanohablantes que les gustaría participar, creceremos para ofrecer eventos facilitados por españoles. Por favor, contacta a Mary - ella puede hablar español y inglés.

Cuddle Party will be one of our foundation events. Cuddle Party is a workshop and social event where we learn communication strategies for creating safer spaces for folks to practice empowerment and asking for what you want, practice saying and receiving a No, and helping us all relax and enjoy time in full presence with each other. Cuddle Party is a consent and boundaries workshop as well as an opportunity to talk with, connect and get some of our contact needs met in a healthy way. You can learn more at CuddleParty.com.

How to Join:

• Complete a thoughtful application. Profiles, including a recognizable photo and name, are viewable by all members to foster trust and safety.
• Partners or couples must apply separately.

What We Do:
We host events including classes, discussions, socials, and experiential gatherings, either online or in-person. Events are often free or low-cost, with a focus on community building, education, and sharing experiences.

Boquete Connection Club is not a dating or hookup group. We prioritize emotional safety, and approaching the group for dating can alienate members who are not interested in that. While personal relationships may develop naturally, they are not the group's focus. We ask members to ensure their intentions align with our goals of community, education, and self-improvement before attending events.

Agreements:

• Members must be 18+.
• Most events are alcohol and substance-free. Some social events will state clearly in the description that legal substance use is allowed.
• A strong culture of consent and clear boundaries are essential for safety at events. We always verbally negotiate consent. You must ask and receive a verbal yes before touching anyone. No one is expected to do anything or interact with anyone they don't want to.
• Sending personal messages or social media requests to other members requires in-person consent. Before contacting someone online, connect at two or three events first, and consider offering your contact info rather than requesting theirs. Unsolicited messages may result in removal from the group. If meeting outside events, we recommend doing so in a safe, public place.
• Confidentiality is key. When discussing the group or our events, do not use names of other members or any identifiable information.

If anything at an event or with a group member makes you uncomfortable, reach out to any member of the leadership team confidentially.

If you're new, please signal you've read this group guide by including the word FRIES when answering the membership questions here in your application.
FRIES stands for consent being: Freely given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific.

We look forward to seeing you at an event soon!

Mary Sorensen is the primary facilitator of this group. She became a certified Cuddlist and Cuddle Party Facilitator in 2014. Mary led the Utah Sex Positive discussion/education group for five years as well as offering multiple other connection, consent, empowerment and education workshops and group events over the past 10+ years. Facilitating spaces for safer and nurturing community connections is one of her passions. Mary is from Salt Lake City, Utah and currently living full time in Alto Boquete, Panama. Mary speaks English and conversational Spanish. Mary puede hablar Español para conversar.