Marylou Nagel | Writer
A new social group in the Sioux Falls area is proving that 50 is fun. The “Life Begins at Fifty Social Group” is the brainchild of Sioux Falls area women, Gloria Ybanez and Judy Geier.
In March of this year, Ybanez and Geier decided to start a Facebook page to connect with others and to make new friends age 50 and over.
“We are not a singles and dating group,” explained Ybanez. “We came up with the idea because as we get older it becomes harder to connect with people our age.”
The “Life Begins at 50 Social Group” soon formed with 30 initial members from several local towns in Sioux Falls and in the surrounding areas. “Judy worked hard on building the group by posting about it on various Facebook group social pages,” added Ybanez.
The group’s first official event was a lunch at Fry’n Pan. That proved successful so the group arranged a dinner at Cherry Creek, where even more members met and enjoyed the evening.
The fun continued as the group expanded. “The event that took us over the top was Hippie and Bowling Night,” said Ybanez. “It was a fun evening with games and door prizes.” Once the pictures of Hippie and Bowling Night, along with a list of upcoming events was published on the group’s Facebook page, the group membership exploded.
The group, now at 462 members, held a Memorial Day picnic at Tuthill Park, with over 40 members and their guests attending. The group enjoyed a potluck, activities for kids and karaoke.
“Judy and I are humbled and amazed by the warm reception that we are receiving from the community,” Ybanez commented. “We created a place for people to come together in a comfortable environment to bond friendships, to connect and to participate in the various activities. Although the group is just getting started, the group is becoming like family.”
Ybanez and Geier are careful to ensure that interested potential members are joining for the right reasons. They screen all requests before the member is accepted. “We all wish to connect with people our age or to come to a comfortable environment on Facebook,” Ybanez added.
If you are interested in joining the group, search for “Life Begins at 50 Social Group” on Facebook.