By Scott DoddStaff WriterCharlotte Outdoor Adventures has more than 3,000 dues-paying members. Phan, 28 attributes the group's success
in part to newcomers who feel the same way he did: "I didn't know a soul. I came down here,
and I was scared." |
He thought a social club would help him
meet people outside work. He couldn't
find one that he liked, so he started his own. About 100 people attended a recent new member meet-and-greet at The Graduate on Morehead Street. They all wore nametags showing where they were from. New York and New Jersey were common, but you could also find Iowa and even the Philippines. About
80 percent of the members have lived in Charlotte less than two
years, The reason
this group
is |
doing so well, because it's hard to meet people here. Some members joined even before moving to
Charlotte. They found the club on the
Internet (www.choa.com) , joined, met others through e-mail and had friends before
they got here. CHOA, as members refer to it, holds dozens
of events a month, from hiking outings to cooking nights to overseas trips.
While the average age of members is 32,
any adult can join for $19.95 a month. The
organization includes everyone from married couples to college |
students
to single parents. "Divorce is just so isolating," said Rosemary
Clement, a divorced mom who joined recently. "It's so hard to make new friends." C ompanies are beginning to
sponsor the group's events because they recognize the importance of helping their
employees connect to the city. "People will leave a city because they
don't feel community," Phan said. "They don't have a connection, roots. That's what they find here. |
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