The Blackfoot Brenda K. Baker founded a new social club aimed at fostering in-person friendships outside of social media because she wanted to assist local women in making in-person connections.
In 2020, Baker and her husband relocated from Montana to Blackfoot, and they recently started a Facebook group called Girlfriends & Gatherings: For Friendship and Fun.
Baker, who frequently enjoys impromptu activities, invited others to join her for a birthday lunch in February via a post on the Life in Blackfoot Facebook page. The remark astounded her.
“I received nearly 200 messages and comments in two days,” she claimed. Individuals were open to having lunch with complete strangers. I came to the realization that our town truly needed this kind of group at that point.
Baker then started Girlfriends & Gatherings on Facebook, which attracted about 100 women right away.
The group’s main goal, despite its social media presence, is to inspire women in the Bingham County area—regardless of their age, faith, or background—to get together in person, form friendships, foster a sense of community, and support one another.
We’re more connected than ever thanks to social media, but we’re also more alone than ever before, Baker added. It’s crucial to meet up and interact with people in person.
22 women attended the first monthly meeting, and the group has since grown gradually to have about 200 members. Women of all ages, beliefs, and origins from all around Bingham County are now represented on the private Facebook page.
“Meeting so many new people is really cool,” Baker remarked. I can’t wait to continue expanding the group and fostering connections.
Every month, the organization gets together for lunch in nearby eateries or at the homes of its members. Additionally, Baker has created a special method for members to discreetly ask for emotional help without disclosing specifics to the public.
According to Baker, anyone who is struggling can indicate that they need support by posting a purple flag emoji on the page. After that, other members can get in touch with you individually to offer support, guidance, encouragement, or just a sympathetic ear.
Baker, a home-based blogger and author, said the group embodies her own goal of bringing people together and helping them.
She claimed to be a leader and planner. God has given me gifts, and I want to use them to unite people. There is a reason we are not alone on this planet.
In the future, Baker wants to plan retreats, such as excursions for females both locally and overseas.
According to Baker, several of our members are widows or ladies who would typically travel with a fun group of buddies rather than alone. One of the members loves to travel. Many of us have been motivated by her to travel and genuinely enjoy life despite obstacles.
The inaugural trip for Girlfriends & Gatherings is tentatively scheduled to take place in Utah at the Homestead Crater at the end of July.
Anyone who wants to be a part of Girlfriends & Gatherings can either send Baker a private message from the Facebook group page or request to join the group on Facebook.
Although there are some fundamental guidelines that new members must follow before joining, Baker reported that there have been no issues and the organization has been nothing but supportive.
“We’ve never lived anywhere better than Blackfoot,” Baker continued. It has given us a genuine sense of community and is very inviting.
