The Single Seniors Coffee Club is helping seniors in Orillia combat isolation and build new friendships.
In September, Colleen Biss, 79, launched the club. Meetings are held every Wednesday at the Bayside Restaurant inside the Barnfield Point Recreation Centre, with the club quickly becoming an important gathering for local seniors.
“Some of us have lunch, and others just have coffee or tea,” Biss shared. “It’s just a social gathering.”
Biss said the idea for the club stemmed from her own experiences as a widow.
“When you are a widow for so long, it feels like all the couple groups you were a part of kind of fade away,” she explained. “I thought there must be other people in my same situation.”
Since its inception, the group has blossomed to 33 members.
“We come from all walks of life,” Biss noted. “Some are widowed, some are divorced, and others never married. It’s a good mix, and we have a lot of fun together.”
The weekly meetings are filled with laughter and engaging conversations.
“We try to solve all the world’s problems,” Biss chuckled. “It’s a fun afternoon, and we always leave feeling uplifted.”
Biss emphasized the challenges of finding companionship as you get older without a spouse.
“You don’t often know where to turn,” she said. “Sure, a lot of us have family, but they’re busy, and you hate to inconvenience them unless you really have to.”
The club provides a sense of belonging and mutual support. Members look out for one another and rally together when someone needs help. Over the holidays, Biss hosted an open house for members to ensure no one felt alone.
“Christmas can be a hard week for widows because you don’t always know where to go or what to do,” she explained.
The club’s camaraderie has already led to close friendships and even romance, she explained.
“Two members have become a couple,” Biss said, smiling. “It’s been fun to watch them, at our age, looking like a pair of teenagers carrying on.”
The group includes longtime Orillia residents and newcomers who moved to the area to be closer to family.
“We all feel like an extended family,” Biss said. “We are always there for each other.”
John Storey, 84, joined the club three months ago and appreciates the connections he’s made.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting new people and reconnecting with familiar faces from years past,” he said.
Twice widowed after marriages lasting 53 and 11 years, Storey finds comfort in sharing experiences with others.
“When I come here, I hear similar stories from caring people," he said. "It’s nice to know I’m not alone.”
Storey enjoys discussing family, travel, and sports but hopes to see more men join the club.
“The ladies outnumber the guys almost four to one,” he noted. “I’m sure the ladies would like to see a few more gentlemen, too.”
Becky Ineson, 74, joined the club around the same time as Storey. A widow for three years, she was seeking meaningful connections.
“Isolation can be hard for a single senior, which is what drove me here,” she said. “This is the perfect group, and I truly love it.”
Ineson highlighted how the group’s energy is always uplifting and positive.
“It’s not a room full of grieving widows,” she said. “Everybody brings a happy and uplifting spirit each week.”
Many members extend their friendships beyond the club, attending movies, concerts, and events together.
With its growing popularity, the club plans to open to new members later this winter. For more information, you can find the Single Seniors Coffee Club on Facebook.
