Being lonely is sad. Here’s a foolproof way to beat the solitary blues.
Tina Walker of Everett created Puget Sound Friends for people 21 to 45 years old who want to meet and mingle. There are no dues. Anyone can go to functions, whether they’re single, married, with children, gay or Steelers fans.
“Those who are single don’t feel pressure to meet someone, and those that are coupled can meet new people,” Walker said. “I have a boyfriend and wanted to meet those fun and willing to get out and do things but didn’t want to join singles groups. I couldn’t find any couples groups.”
The organization, with more than 800 members, has had many get-togethers and plans a Super Bowl party on Sunday in north Seattle.
“We all just get together to meet new people, make new friends and have fun,” Walker said. “There are people sitting at home wishing they had more friends, and we’re all right here.”
A calendar of events for the group can be found online at http://pugetsoundfriends.com.
They’ve already had dinner at the Tulalip Casino, gone bowling, partied at bars and are planning summer events including bonfires, trips, spur-of-the-moment outings and things as simple as going for coffee. Each event has a host who coordinates activities.
When Walker was searching for a friends group, she found some that were inactive. But she knew there was a need.
“I’ve also now heard from quite a few people who have moved to the area that it’s really hard to get to know people around here,” Walker said. “I wondered if there was some way that a group of people could come together where there wouldn’t be awkward silence.”
She started the group in August and had no idea it would be so much fun, she said.
Shawn Cody, 28, of Marysville has attended club parties, housewarmings, happy hours and football games.
“You can post any event, and anyone that enjoys the same thing will respond,” Cody said. “I also like the fact that it is a friends’ group, not a dating site. It is nice to be able to just go out with people without all of the expectations.”
Walker, 30, who works for Cingular in Bothell, assured me that so far there are no cliques in the group. If you show up, you will be welcomed and folks will chat with you.
Married in Bellevue, Skye Icaen said she enjoys meeting people from areas east, north and south of Seattle.
“We have an extremely strong showing from all ages from 20s to 40s,” Icaen said. “This provides a wider variety of events and allows me to learn about other towns in the area.”
In the past six months, group membership has grown, Icaen said.
“This is mostly due to Tina’s work in patiently advertising the group week after week, attending the events and being the tireless voice of optimism. I think her motto is ‘If you plan it, they will come.’”
She said everyone she has met at functions has been enthusiastic, friendly and normal.
After attending her first Puget Sound Friends event, Jenny Harsin, 42, hosted her own cookie exchange.
“Having recently moved to Seattle, fairly new to being single after 19 years of marriage, I thought that this might be a great way to make new friends,” Harsin said. “I wasn’t hunting for a boyfriend, just people to hang out with and have fun.”
She said she has made great friends and has gone clubbing and to a hockey game.
“This group has been a great addition to my life,” Harsin said. “I have made some wonderful friends that I may have never found in the regular course of my day.”
Harsin said the best part of the group is that participants don’t worry about whether you are single, married, gay, straight, white, black, pink, purple or polka-dotted.
It’s solely a group for friendship, she said.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
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