People are social animals, seeking connections to one another. Not everyone is seeking a lifelong commitment or a romantic liaison, though. Sometimes, reaching out to others is just about sharing the love of a pastime. People may be new to an area and want to make friends, or have had a lifestyle change that opens them up to new experiences, and social media groups can help like-minded individuals find each other. Meetup.com is one such group, bringing together organizers and participants - with many options right in Newtown or neighboring towns.

According to its website, "Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference."

At Meetup.com, members (there is no cost to join) pick the town and state in which they wish to search for groups, with options to choose groups from within a two-mile radius to "any distance." Then select from over 36 categories of meetup groups and find out what is in the area.

Fashion, fitness, outdoor activities, art, culture, music, technology, food and drink, support, religion, family, children, and lifestyle are just a few of the groups that are available to members. If a group does not exist in the area, or is full, Meetup.com members can easily start a new group.

Juggling, hiking, Tai Chi, guided meditation, drumming, brunch for people without children, spiritual groups, and eagle watching are a few of the current groups "meeting up" in Newtown. Go a few miles out, and events in Bethel, Danbury, Southbury, and Monroe offer more opportunities for hiking, skiing, dancing, and even laughter yoga.

John Wisnieff, who started the Newtown Juggling & Circus Arts Club four years ago, said that 174 people have discovered the club through Meetup.com, though not all have come to gatherings.

"Meetup is a great way to cast a wide net in the search for jugglers and flow artists. More precisely, we don't cast the net; people come searching for us. They just search for, say, 'Connecticut' and 'Juggling,' and up pops our group. Or they may just search for 'Newtown' to see all the local Meetup groups. Many people have come from quite a distance to attend one of our gatherings," said Mr Wisnieff. "We even had one couple looking for an adventure who drove two hours from Long Island one day, just to check us out."

Most of the new members have found the club through Meetup.com, Mr Wisnieff said, a fact he knows because he inquires of the new attendees. The Juggling Club has a Facebook page, as well, but it does not generate as many new members, he said. The success rate of Meetup.com, he guessed, is because it has established itself "as a premier site where people can use the Internet to actually do something in person with others."

Another local business that uses Meetup.com to promote its programs is Sticks and Stones Farm on Hattertown Road.

"I used to use Meetup, a long time ago when I was in Florida, for running groups," said Sticks and Stones Program Manager Celine Currier. Then Meetup groups started gathering for events at the farm, and she realized she could organize more programs through Meetup.

"I only recently started using it," said Ms Currier, but has already seen a response. "It's more of a community building thing than a passive advertising tool," she added.

Balancing her office work with the outdoors is important to Dr Diane Wenick, but her free time does not always coincide with that of friends or family. Hearing of Meetup.com from a friend, she checked it out and has since used it to find like-minded outdoor enthusiasts. "I usually go hiking in the area," said Dr Wenick. "I have been as far as Bull's Bridge and hiked a bit of the Appalachian trail," she said, as well as joining a group for meditative hikes in Redding. "I also belong to a kayak group and have been to Lake Waramaug and the Long Island Sound," through Meetup, she said.

A change in his personal life led Dr Chris Mixon of Newtown Veterinary Center to seek a way to incorporate more ways to be active in his off hours. He discovered Meetup.com through an Internet search.

"I like to do lots of outdoor adventures. I kayak, hike, and bike. The first thing I joined on Meetup was a hiking group for singles, but all of the people were intent on meeting a partner. I'm single, but prefer to get to know people as friends," he said. So he started his own Meetup group, Connecticut Outdoor Adventures, as well as other groups, not all currently active, to help deal with stresses in his personal life.

"A lot of people in the group since have told me it saved their lives. They needed it at some point in their lives. I've made some very good friends through the groups," said Dr Mixon.

Joining a group may have a fee attached to it, he said, although he charges only a minimal amount to cover the costs associated with being a Meetup group organizer. He plans about five events every week, and oversees 30 other organizers associated with him.

What he likes about Meetup is that he can select the level of safety for his groups. "Our group is closed," he said, meaning that members must provide a photo profile that is fully visible.

"I get a lot of photos of cats, for some reason, and I decline those," Dr Mixon said. Not all groups require participants to do so, but because his adventure groups hike in the woods and go to secluded spot, he feels it is important that all participants can see who will be going. "I can ban people from any group," Dr Mixon said, if things do not work out.

Meetup.com gives him a way to have a sense of community within interests that he finds important, Dr Mixon said. Ed Sullivan of Sandy Hook is one of many friends he has made through his Meetup groups.

"I first heard of Meetup from my sister, but was reluctant to try it. The name implies a dating type of thing," said Mr Sullivan. "Eventually my curiosity got to me, and I joined a local outdoor group and signed up for a very cold January winter hike. I met some very enthusiastic people - and I was hooked. I have joined hiking groups, outdoor groups, social groups, kayaking, and biking groups. This platform is awesome for finding like-minded people," he said. It may be necessary to try several different events within a category to realize that groups have many different leaders and each leader has his or her own style, pace, and level of energy, Mr Sullivan said.

"Groups vary widely in membership size. I would encourage anyone, whether they are outgoing or not, to give it a try. I have met so many interesting people in the last three years," he said, ones he would now consider to be lifelong friends.