What we’re about
Welcome! If you are single and reading this, I am sure we share one thing in common: Frustration over how hard it is to meet other interesting singles in this age group! In my camping group we sometimes come up with interesting ice breakers or questions and we go around the campfire circle and each person answers. From those experiences I started making a list of interesting questions that will help you get to know other people. I labeled my list “First Date Questions.” That is where I got the idea for this Meetup.
MEMBERSHIP: To be a member of this group you must be 50+ years old and open to dating or friendship or a long-term relationship (LTR). To participate in events you must be single, divorced, unmarried, not currently in a LTR, AND also open to possible dating or friendship or a LTR. If you are separated but not divorced you are not eligible to join this group.
I am not a relationship expert and have not done this kind of thing before, so please bear with me. I am open to suggestions for topics and juicy questions, but please pass to me on the private chat.
I will cull members that have not participated for two months or longer, so we have mostly active members in this group. You are always welcome to rejoin later.
ATTITUDE/CONDUCT: Please be equally courteous and polite to all participants during and after the event. Be positive and friendly and focus on having FUN! This Meetup is a chance to meet and chat with new people over some funny questions. If you happen to meet someone and there is mutual interest, that is just an added bonus.
Please refrain from sexual talk or anything that might feel like you are "hitting" on someone. Keep it casual and friendly. Any concerns, please address with me privately.
INTROS: When you are accepted as a member each person is requested, but not required, to post on the main group page comments section a few sentences about yourself as an introduction to the current members. You can say whatever you want and stating your age or other specific details is optional.
PHOTOS: You are welcome to post a single photo that shows you doing a fav activity or something similar. Make sure you add a caption including your name (or I will have to delete).
EVENTS: For each event we will need an even number of men and women to hold the event. This part may get a little tricky. I will take the first guy/girl pairings. This means you may get moved to the wait list if you don't happen to be the sex we need for equal pairings. I am asking for member understanding on this.
Once you sign up for an event, it would be nice if you would make sure your interests and memberships are visible on your Meetup profile page for at least the week before the event so others can learn a little bit about you beforehand. After the event you can re-hide.
FORMAT: The first half hour of the event will be mix and mingle time as people come in. I may announce an ice breaker for chat during this half hour. We may have an appetizer available or you can order a beverage. I will explain the format we will use for the event when the half hour is up and once everyone is seated. We will then start with the First Date Questions. After each question we rotate partners until all the questions are done or we run out of time.
CONNECTING: At the end of the event you will have the opportunity to anonymously offer your contact details to whomever you found interesting. I will explain how at the event.
-Please follow common sense safety measures when meeting with someone you just met and know little about. You are responsible for your own safety and choices, so be careful. This applies to both sexes.
-Do not post ANYTHING, anywhere on Meetup or online, about who you connected with or not, out of respect for everyone's privacy. You can say you had fun at the event, or similar comments, but do not post specifics about people. Please don't discuss details of the event with anyone who did not attend.
-If you did make a "connection," please contact them within 24-48 hours if the interest is mutual. If you don't want to meet someone who gave you their contact information you are not required to respond.
-If you don't hear from someone who got your contact info this means they did not share your interest. Do not contact anyone on the attendance list via the Meetup chat if you tried to connect with them but they did not share your interest. There may be a multitude of reasons for this and of course it doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you or the other person. Please respect other people's feelings regarding this; it takes TWO people to form a connection.
-If you didn't get a match at the event, don’t be discouraged. You can attend as many events as you want, so just stay positive and try again.
CONNECTING via CHAT. Please note that if you want to contact someone you "meet" in this group, outside of an event, this is acceptable. Just contact them through private chat. The same etiquette rules apply, if they are not interested then please just politely accept this. But the point here is to meet new people and possibly develop friendships or dating relationships. These events are not going to be much more than 8-10 people so if you see someone you are interested in, reach out. You don't have to wait for an event.
ATTENDING: Before you sign up, please be sure you can attend and don't cancel unless it is an emergency. In order for these events to work we need an even number of both sexes. If you cancel at the last minute or no-show you are spoiling it for the other people at the event. No-shows and last minute cancels it is likely I will just remove you from the group.
FLIRTING: Flirting is allowed and encouraged. However, please be respectful if the other person is not receptive.
POP QUIZZES: Occasionally I will post fun questions in the group home page comment section between event dates. This is meant to encourage communication among the members and to help us get to know each other. Both posting and responding are optional to both parties.
FEES: The first event will be free. From the second event onward, I will collect a small amount at the event or you can add the it to the fundraising to help cover some of the Meetup organizer cost, which is currently $200 for six months. Donations via fundraising go to me with a 15% cut to meetup. You can also contribute directly to me via PayPal or Venmo.
QUESTIONS or concerns: Contact me via private chat, especially if you have a concern about a particular person. Do not post publicly.