It’s an unusually busy Monday night upstairs at the Old Port’s RiRa. The room buzzes with eager conversation and happy-hour gaiety, as a crowd of well-dressed young professionals mingles near the bar, undaunted by the full workweek ahead.
At first, it can be hard to tell what type of event you’ve stumbled across. The lack of nametags suggests a casual, relaxed atmosphere, but everywhere you look, people have business on their mind.
Every new encounter starts with a handshake, and many end with the exchanging of business cards. This exchange serves a higher purpose then just Rolodex ego boosting; as the crowds grows it can be hard to make out anyone’s professional credentials over the din. After a half hour, my wallet is already bugling with new contacts, from financial advising to home security.
This flurry of calling cards is a necessary evil for the Social Network of Maine – SNOM- during their bi-monthly events. As one of the area’s newest social networks, groups like SNOM are pushing for a change in the way people define “social networks”, taking the term back from internet-based networking sites, and bringing it to bars and restaurants in Greater Portland.
“Sometimes the easiest way to create a relationship is to get along with people on a more personal level,” says Steven Tripp, who runs his own small computer repair company. “When you meet someone in person, you have more a sense of who they are.”
Across Maine, groups like SNOM are attempting to take social networking back from the Internet giants who have cornered the industry lately. Stressing face-to-face interactions, these groups seek to unite community members in a shared interest, a goal that many organizers hope will create a better social, and economic community. A generation removed from groups like Kiwanis and Rotary, the young business crowd SNOM caters to is living in the age of internet-based social networking – ? la Facebook and Myspace – where flashy page design and friend counts stand in for actual personality. While these sites opt for friend quantity, groups like SNOM are thinking in terms of quality – giving people a chance to meet others who they might actually develop a relationship with.
The “happy hour with business cards” atmosphere lets SNOMers enjoys themselves over drinks, with nothing required of them but meeting new people, and having a good time.
Those who play together.
When David and Morgan Curkin moved to Portland from NYC, they found it difficult to meet new people. The bar scene was robust enough, but they had an idea that people would also respond to making friends outside of Portland’s favorite pubs. Having been involved in several social sports leagues in NYC, the Curkins decided to bring the concept to their new hometown – with a slight twist. Spring ’08 marked the first season of PortSports, the Curkin’s charity-based social sports league.
Under the motto “Meet. Play. Give” PortSports differs from SNOM in it’s focus, but draws much of the same crowd: young professionals in Portland looking for a way to unwind and meet people after work. “Sports are a shared experience that really [help] people come together,” says Curkin. “. Players can register either individually or as a team, in either kickball, or ultimate frisbee.
In Deering Oaks Park, players are arriving in their matching t-shirts. Tonight’s game is kickball. “It’s a game with that nostalgic feel that people like,” Curkin says. It’s also a notoriously easy game to pick up: “If you can stand, you can play kickball.”
While his team the Blue Plate Specials start to arrive for tonight’s match-up against the Kick Ballas, student Chris Strout is busily tending to his small barbecue, cooking up hot dogs from himself and his teammates, many of whom he knows only through this weekly match-up. Individually registering players are placed on teams, while some teams register together for a combined fee. The toss-up nature of Strout’s roster has given him a chance to meet new people.Strout and his roommate Sara Brown knew they wanted to get involved in a local kickball league, and were drawn to PortSports because they knew part of their registration fee would go to a charitable organization.
Curkin thinks charity-based leagues just make sense. “It’s hard to be philanthropic when you are young and don’t have a lot of money, but this is an easy way to give back.”
Also popular among the PortSports crowd is the post-game happy hour. Players receive reduced prices on drinks and appetizers, and the hosting venue gives a small portion of their proceeds to charity as well. “You go out with 40 people you already know, and the more you socialize, the more money you raise,” says David Curkin.
Players see a real advantage over Internet based social networks. “You get out and actually meet people,” says paralegal Melissa Anderson. “It’s way less sketchy, and you get to see people week in and week out in a social setting. It gives you an idea for who they are as a person.”
Sustainability soiree
Elliot May has only one requirement for those who want to attend a meeting of Portland Green Drinks – their color. “We are open to anyone who represents any shade of green,” says May, sipping on a thick smoothie in the Old Port. His social network, the Portland chapter of a nation-wide group, seeks to bring together environmentally conscious individuals to share thoughts and ideas, and to make connections.
“Portland is an extremely small place,” says May, a recent Dartmouth grad who just moved to Portland from Seattle. Soon after arriving, and identifying Portland’s environmental “hub people”, May had the connections he needed to launch the social network.
May’s group acts as a case study in the organization of social networks. Recognizing the local attitude towards all things green, May created a forum in which like-minded individuals could meet to exchange ideas, and make connections.
Hosting events at local businesses, the group gives exposure to environmentally concerned companies. “Theoretically, people are ready to take steps to improve their sustainability,” says May. “Green Drinks showcases companies that have taken these steps.”
Boasting an impressive average of 150 people per event, the success of Green Drinks reflects the “greening” of Portland, tapping into an area of interest for many residents, and brining them together over a common cause. “The pump was primed for Portland,” says May. ” It is already a very environmentally conscious city.”
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Social Network of Maine
When: Every other Monday
Where: Portland area bar or restaurant
Target: Young professionals looking for business networking opportunities
Cost: Free
www.socialnetworkofmaine.com
PortSports Social Club
When: Games Monday-Thursday 6 p.m.
Where: Deering Oaks Park
Target: Young professionals looking to stay active and meet new people
Cost: $75 individual, $600-800 team
www.portsportsmaine.com
Portland Green Drinks
When: Second Tuesday of the month, 5:30-8 p.m.
Where: Portland area commercial or non-profit business.
Target: An “eclectic” mix; geared towards young professionals
Cost: Free
www.portlandgreendrinks.com