Spring is nearly here with all its promise of fresh beginnings and love.
But new relationships are far from guaranteed, especially if you are single in Sarnia, say two women frustrated with the local dating scene.
“Singles in Sarnia all say the same thing. We really don’t have anywhere to meet other singles unless you go to a bar,” says 47-year-old Jan Walton, a divorcee who works full time in a government job.
She and longtime friend Debbie Allen, 55, often talk about how difficult it is to meet eligible men for serious relationships in Sarnia.
“The same people have been going out to the singles dinner clubs and the singles dances for the last 10 years,” Walton said. “And people my age just aren’t into the bar scene.”
StatsCan says unmarried single women outnumber unmarried single men 15,940 to 13,095 in Sarnia.
Walton and Allen decided to be part of the solution by introducing speed dating to Sarnia, a way to meet potential date material quickly with minimal effort. In January they launched “Sarnia Meet and Match” with great success.
At the first event held at Jack Doyles’ Metro Room, 10 men and 10 women aged 40 to 55 signed up to spend five minutes apiece with one another.
Dwayne Dennis, a 47-year-old divorcee, said he met a number of potential dates and had a lot of fun in that short time.
“I work so much and at this age, I’m out of the bar scene,” he said. “It’s hard for men to meet interesting women.”
Ten small tables were set up with the men moving from table to table in five-minute intervals, everyone keeping track and scoring one another.
“I’m asking them all if they have a favourite cologne or perfume,” Dennis said. “I don’t want to meet anyone with too strong a scent. When women wear a lot of cologne, it seems like they have something to hide.”
Allen participated in her company’s first speed dating night.
“I think everyone has someone out there for them. They just need an opportunity like this to meet,” she said.
Each of the 20 participants paid $25.
When the scorecards were tallied, 18 of the 20 had chosen one another for dates. Some had two or three matches.
To learn more visit www.sarniameetandmatch.com or call Walton at 519-330-4532.
- Cathy Dobson, The Journal