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What’s up, Salem!
Happy Tuesday, and welcome back to another newsletter with me, Em Chan. Summer’s end is coming upon us, and I realized it’s been four years since I moved to Salem.
One of the things that I wish I had known sooner was how to get more involved with local groups and create community for myself. If you have found yourself wondering the same thing, I’ve got you covered – from sports, crafts, and even some wild cards.
Let’s hop into it.
Cheers,
Em
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Connecting with clubs, groups and more: A Really Long List
Athletic Clubs
These clubs are for, yes, runners, bikers and other folks looking for a way to get moving and connect with others. Whether you’re gearing up for an event or just starting out, there’s plenty of avenues to get into.
Willamette Valley Road Runners: Meets every Monday at 6 p.m. to run at 6:15 p.m. Route is a 5K, 3.12 miles, that meets in front of the Gallagher Fitness Resources. All paces welcome, though geared for more seasoned runners
Run Club Salem: Meets every Saturday, 8 a.m. in front of the Riverfront Carousel for a route of 5K. Their motto of “no one runs alone” is apt and more welcoming to newer/slower runners.
Salem Bicycle Club: Meets various days a week, with a full calendar on the website with ride details of not just arond Salem, but the Mid-Valley. The club has a formal membership program which is not required to join to be a part of the group but recommended to get additional resources.
Capital City Disc Golf:This disc golf non-profit organizes and provides disc golf course maintenance so folks around Salem can enjoy disc golf. Volunteers can join to support the nonprofit, or you can just go to one of the weekly games.
Capital Futbol Club: Looking for fellow soccer players? The club offers games and matches for children and adults in the recreational league and other events. The league is both Spanish and English speaker friendly.
Salem-Keizer Pickleball Club: This pickleball nonprofit organization brings regular pickleball play at the PAC Community Center on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is recommended for people to join the club as they get more time on the court than non-members.
Salem Rugby: Interested in rugby? There are teams for high school girls and boys, adult men and women, and even a ages 35+ men’s team. There’s also opportunities for volunteering, coaching or just spectating matches.
Salem Ultimate Frisbee: Interested in playing pickup ultimate frisbee? This Facebook group has players organizing times to play together at Bush Pasture Park on the weekends.
Cherry City Roller Derby: Ladies, interested in getting down and tussling in the roller rink? Come try out roller derby with Salem’s women’s Flat Track Derby Association league to learn or pursue skating, volunteer, or spectate bouts. There is also a girl’s team, the Cherry Blossoms Junior Roller Derby.
Slow Runners of Salem: (Added by Espi 😁) Don't let the name fool you – this inclusive running community welcomes all paces and focuses on building connections over competition. They meet three times a week: Sundays at 9:00 AM, Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, and Fridays at 6:30 PM. Check their Instagram stories or send them a DM for specific run start locations, as they mix up their routes around Salem. With their motto of community first, this group is perfect for anyone looking to make friends while getting their miles in, regardless of speed.
Hobby Clubs
If being athletic isn’t for you, maybe a hobby club? I personally love a book club myself, and the library has some as well, if you’re a frequent visitor. I also recently started taking up embroidery, so I am also considering checking these out too.
Salem Millstream Knitting Guild: Yes, Salem has a knitting guild for knitters of all genders and levels. They meet the second Saturday of each month, though new members should complete an application before joining the group.
Salem Fiberarts Guild: Enjoy fiberarts with like-minded folks meeting monthly with programming, resources, workshops, and more. There is a membership fee to join, but plenty of return on your investment.
Salem Tabletop (Tabletop role-playing game community): The tabletop gaming community is quite active in Salem. You can become a member of this group to be a part of various events, game sessions, workshops, and more.
Hubs for Clubs, Groups
There are some places that are known to host a lot of regular groups. It’s just easier on me (and you) to view them all in one place. I also like to browse and chat with folks about the dynamics, schedules, and general vibe to find the best match. Voila!
Salem Capital Pride: The queer-led non-profit group has various programming throughout the year, specifically for those within the LGBTQ+ community. There’s board game meetups, craft meetups, tabletop gaming, silent book club and more.
Book Bin Book Clubs: The Book Bin hosts book club meetings across various genres and types, including science fiction and fantasy, horror, bestsellers, romantasy, feminist reads, graphic novel and mangas, and more. They typically meet once a month.
Spark Studio’s various clubs: The maker’s hub offers various monthly workshops/clubs including a 3D Printing Workshop for those interested in 3D printing, Fiber Arts for Good that make items to support mutual aid. There are also socials, general makers meetings and more.
Ticket to Play Board Game Cafe: Various gaming groups host their meetings at the cafe, so it’d be easier to swing by and ask about what (and who) is available to join.
Boys & Girls Club of Salem, YMCA: Youth athletics and other children/teen programming is available at the facility.
City of Salem: If you can’t find one kind of club, why not take a look at what’s going on across the city? The City of Salem ongoing clubs page has clubs for anglers, AARP, MAC users, needlepoint, gardening, woodcarvers, orchids, and support groups.
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