WILLIAMSBURG — After moving to the area for a job at William & Mary, Sidnie Baker was on the hunt for connection and community.
Not knowing where to start, she decided to create Common Threads Social Club for those new to the area in search of the same things she was.
“I really found this love for hosting events when I was in grad school. I really enjoyed hosting, having my friends come over, and I really formed a lot of deep connections from that. As I was searching for things to do around the area, I didn’t really find a lot in terms of making connections,” Baker said.
Taking it upon herself, Baker invented the Common Threads Social Club. The club is open to those in their 20s and early 30s who are looking to build community and create meaningful friendships.
“People are wanting that connection and craving human interaction. It’s tough to make those connections, especially if you work in a place that doesn’t have a lot of like-minded individuals or people that you want to hang out with. I wanted to create this to bridge that gap and to be able to give people the opportunity to meet people authentically,” Baker shared.
Early feedback has been positive, according to Baker.
“I really tried to get a lot of engagement and traction. I’ve had a lot of people comment that they are really excited for it, that it’s something they have been looking for, and that it was needed,” Baker said.
Baker also noted that groups of older adults have also been commenting on her content about creating similar groups for other age groups.
Baker’s first meetup is planned for June 29 at Column 15. Baker will be at the coffee shop at 2 p.m. with some simple icebreaker games to help start the group.
As the group grows, Baker is hoping to create more events, including a cake picnic, cookbook parties, game nights and fun themed nights.
“To me, it doesn’t matter if I have 20 followers versus 200 followers. I just really want people to make those long-lasting connections. If people are able to find friends and find their community through this group, that’s the main goal for me,” Baker said.
More information on upcoming meetups can be found on the Common Threads Social Club Instagram account.