Ladies & Friends

"There are no strangers here; only friends you have not yet met"                                                                                                                                                                                                        William ButtlerYeats

We are a sisterhood of friendly and supportive women of all ages and interests. We meet to uplift and inspire one another to enjoy a life filled with friendship, while exploring varied activities and all that Bend and the surrounding areas have to offer. 

We strive to foster an environment that reflects the incredible community we live in and where every member can be her authentic self. Our values are those of mutual respect, equality, diversity and inclusion. Activities and topics are varied from culture and art, book clubs, discussion groups, outdoor activities, volunteering, and much more. We encourage members to suggest their own ideas and even host events (with our help as needed). 

New members can do a trial membership for 30 days to check us out. Then, we have $5 mandatory annual dues (which are non-refundable). 

Let's continue to build an amazing community together. We welcome you !

1) PHOTO REQUIREMENT

We require that all members post a recent close-up photo of just themselves, so we can recognize Members at events. Sometimes we carpool, meet in public places, or open a member’s home for an event. Photos are intended to promote safety for all of us.

If you don't know how to download a photo to the Meetup site, contact one of the Organizers for help.

2) CANCELLATION POLICY & RSVP POLICY

RSVP's go fast in this group ! If you are interested in attending an event make sure to sign up. You must RSVP to attend an event. The venues we favor have limited space. Most of our events are limited to a specific number of attendees. We really must respect that attendance limit! 

If you RSVP for an event, please show up. We understand life happens but if for any reason you cannot attend, kindly let the event organizer know and remove your name from the RSVP list. We appreciate 48 hours notice so ladies on the wait list can be reached. Please be considerate of the organizers' time and effort that is put into planning and organizing a meetup. 

No shows are tracked and members who reach 3 No Shows may be suspended from group events for 3 months to allow others who are committed to attending to have a space for the events. 

3) SOLICITATIONS

With the exception of official event sponsors, no business solicitations or activities are allowed at any of our events. Anyone interested in becoming a group or event sponsor, please contact Josee Brandstetter, Pamela Manning, Marie Hitchcock or Kathy Sabatier. Events to further a partisan agenda are not allowed. 

4) RELEASE OF LIABILITY

By attending any Ladies And Friends event, you agree to hold Ladies And Friends, its organizers, and its event leaders, harmless from any liability resulting from any injury or property damage.

While participating in events held by Ladies and Friends, social distancing must be practiced and face coverings worn during indoor events to reduce the risks of exposure to COVID-19. Ladies and Friends cannot guarantee that its participants will not become infected with COVID-19. 

 Individuals who currently or within the past fourteen (14) days have experienced  any symptoms associated with COVID-19 which include fever, cough, and shortness of breath or members who have been exposed to a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 should abstain from participating in any Ladies and Friends activities until they have completed a 14 days quarantine. 

 Your RSVP and/or attendance signifies that you agree. The Release of Liability form is posted in the Pages Section of the Ladies And Friends Meetup site. 

5) PARTICIPATION

We strongly encourage member participation. If you have a skill/hobby/training you would like to share with others, please let Josee Brandstetter, Pamela Manning, Marie Hitchcock, Lisa Schmidtke or Kathy Sabatier know. We will help you have a successful meetup. 

6) 10 ESSENTIALS LIST

For activities that involve hiking, boating, or the backcountry, the 10 Essentials could be used to prepare you for an accident, an emergency, and your general well-being. The Ten Essentials is posted in the Pages Section of the Ladies And Friends site.