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How Can I Meet SNEC Members Near Me?

For two years running, one of the top two member “asks” coming out of our chapter’s annual strategic planning meeting has been “stronger local networking.”

To understand why this gap exists and what we’re doing to address it, a very short history lesson will help.

SNEC used to offer in-person meetings almost monthly, with the location rotating among Cromwell/Hartford, Shelton, Springfield, and Stamford.

COVID put a stop to that. Even when in-person meetings became viable again, people had lost the habit of going out—and, to some extent, of volunteering. As a result, our Programs portfolio focused its efforts on virtual events, offering at least two Webinars in most months.

Last year, enough plucky volunteers stepped up to enable us to plan and host three in-person events. This year, we’ve already done three and are planning a fourth for December 10. (Save the date!)

But wait, there’s more!

On November 4, we’re returning to Fairfield County with a pop-up event: a no-fee, no-registration, no-program, come-out-and-have-fun evening for anyone who wants to join us at Spacecat Brewery in Norwalk.

This will be our first pop-up. We’re planning four for 2027 in different parts of our region where we don’t have enough volunteers and/or member engagement (yet!) to warrant a “regular” event.

If you’d like to meet other SNEC members at an event in your area, here are three things you can do to help:

• Speak up! Let us know of a good location for a pop-up in your neck of the woods. Someplace relatively accessible and inexpensive, not too noisy, and with good parking.
• Turn out! Watch the calendar and the Monday emails* for in-person events, and join us whenever and wherever you can.
  * Make sure the emails from [email protected] aren’t going to your spam or junk folder!
• Volunteer! Email [email protected] to find out how you can get involved with these programs.