Coffee groups meet up across the United States on a daily basis. When my mother moved to Corvallis, she didn’t know anybody but family. My brother saw a pleasant-looking woman in the line at the grocery store and took it upon himself to explain that his mom was new in town and needed some friends. This lovely lady told him about her coffee group and asked him to extend an invitation to our mom. Nine years later, that group of 12 – 15 men and women still meet every single Friday for a couple of hours of companionship. They bring each other treats, share silly stories, laugh, and always share love and support.
When I first joined the gym at The Tualatin Marquis, I noticed that I would sometimes see a large cluster of women in the lobby having a grand old time visiting. They told me that they had been meeting for coffee for many years, and although people drifted in and out, it was a special, much-loved group. I told my mom that if she ever moved to Tualatin, I would try to get her in that group. I also noticed a men’s Veteran’s group that meets once a week to share their stories.
Weekly, I meet up with girlfriends for catch-up time. Our friend, Jane, can always be counted on to bring everyone a baked treat. After a recent session, I came home and contemplated all of the material we had covered. I shared my excitement about an Oregon State Football game I had just attended, and another member told us about her recent knee surgery. A pet enthusiast regaled us with her pet-sitting adventures. Another gal discussed her trepidation coupled with excitement about an upcoming trip to Tennessee. We enthusiastically planned a possible trip to the Red, White, and Blue Thrift Store in Gladstone, which led to a conversation about donations for veterans. That took us off on a tangent on how to donate items to women’s shelters. During our visit, a man wandered by and enquired if we might ever run out of things to say. We laughed and responded with a group, “No!” Several ladies walking by stopped by just to say hello and join in a few moments of chatter. It didn’t matter that we didn’t know them. We were happy to hear what they had to say. It tickles us to say that we are solving the problems of the world every week, but in reality, we’re not the Algonquin Round Table. We’re just ladies who appreciate a bit of coffee, chatter, and friendship.
What is it that everybody is getting out of these groups? Seniors seem to intuitively know that too much isolation isn’t a healthy choice. These meet-ups, usually once a week, are a casual, low-prep, low-cost outing. Participants recognize that they are building valuable friendships and a strong support group. There’s a healthy mix of companionship, coffee, and camaraderie.
Where can you find a group? If you know a few people, you can start your own. Location shouldn’t be a problem. My mom’s bunch used to meet at Starbucks, but when their location closed, they switched to Panera Bread. I enjoy meeting at The Marquis Cafe on Boones Ferry because it has comfy couches and chairs, and the acoustics make it easy to hear one another. If you know of a group, you might ask if you can join in. I can’t say for sure what the answer will be, but my group is always delighted to have newcomers. If you’re determined, you’ll most likely find your bunch, but if all else fails, send me a note, and we’ll have our own meet-up!
