A vibrant local Facebook group for women sparks genuine connections and joy through support and a kindness that is contagious.

Readers of a “certain age” will remember the exciting promises we heard when the internet first became part of our daily lives. We were told that it offered new opportunities for connection and new ways to build relationships. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan starred in the romcom You’ve Got Mail showing us how meaningful relationships could develop if we embraced the opportunities technology was offering. Those early expectations haven’t always worked out as we hoped—for every relationship that is strengthened online, it sometimes seems that several others have fractured. But here on Cape Cod, a small group of women found a way to make social media into a powerful tool for connection and community.

In August of 2022, Rhonda Paradis, Lisa Montigny, and Melissa Dugan launched Cape Cod Female Friends Over 50 on Facebook. They saw the opportunity when they noticed that the Cape Cod contingent on the group Massachusetts Female Friends was significant, and growing rapidly. Recognizing the region’s distinct culture and geography, they launched their own dedicated group. Three years later, the group’s membership has soared to over 10,000 women.

Their first event, a simple beach gathering at Red River Beach in Harwich, drew 32 women, most of whom had never met before. “We didn’t know each other,” Rhonda recalls, “and it was a little awkward at first. But it took off fast.” Soon, events multiplied: walks on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, meet-ups at coffee shops, lunches, game nights, kayaking excursions, and creative workshops. The group’s ethos was simple: anyone could create an event, and everyone was welcome....