The room inside First Church of Fairfield filled quickly as more than 60 men gathered for coffee, conversation and a guest speaker at a recent meeting of the Fairfield Men’s Association. Some greeted longtime friends, while others walked in for the first time, curious to see what the growing group was all about.
For many members, the association has become more than a weekly gathering. It has evolved into a place where men 50 and older men can build friendships, stay active and rediscover a sense of purpose after major life transitions.
“We have three goals here,” said Tom Sansone, vice president and co-founder of the Fairfield Men’s Association. “One is continuous learning with our guest speakers, two is activities that get guys out of the house and moving, and the third is to of course have fun.”
Founded just six months ago, the association has already grown to 111 members, reflecting what organizers say is a growing desire for community and connection among older men. More than half the membership regularly attends weekly meetings.
The association is non-political, non-religious and open to men 50 and older who live or work in Fairfield/Southport or the surrounding area.
“You work your whole career going from a hundred miles to zero,” Fairfield resident and member Chris Nemchek said. “After that, you grow the desire to look for hobbies or something to do.”
Beyond providing activities and friendships, Nemchek said the association could also have a positive impact on the wider community.
“A group like this, with the talent, experience and everything that these men bring to the table, they can help out the community too,” he said.
Over time, the organization has evolved into more than weekly meetings, according to members.
“With the amount of friends you make here, there’s a lot of off-book socializing too,” said Ron Holtz, president of the Fairfield Men’s Association. “We like to go out for happy hour, lunch and many other activities.”
The association’s rapid growth continues to attract new members at nearly every meeting.
“I just joined today,” said Al Lomoriello. “One of my friends recommended this to me and I thought I would come and check it out.”
Lomoriello, who works as a guide manager for Amston Home Transition Solutions, said organizations like the Fairfield Men’s Association can help people stay connected during major life changes.
“Organizations like this are important,” he said. “They help people remain connected during major life transitions.”
The idea for the Fairfield Men’s Association was inspired by a similar, long-running organization in Westport.
“There’s an organization similar to ours in Westport,” Sansone said. “It’s been around for 40 years called the Y’s Men. There’s over 600 members, however they are very exclusive where you have to live in either Westport or Weston.”
Sansone was referring to the Y’s Men of Westport/Weston, founded in 1977, which limits membership to residents of Westport and Weston, according to the town of Westport.
Sansone said he and Holtz approached town officials with the idea of creating a more accessible organization for men across the region.
“Myself and Ron went to meet with the town to pitch the idea, and here we are six months later with 111 members already,” Sansone said.
To learn more about the organization visit the Fairfield Men’s Association website.
