Fifty Shades of Fun, a social club in Nocatee for ages 45-64, is turning nine this year on June 13.
Kim Cornwell, the founder of the club, said that she was inspired to start it after moving to the area and realizing that there wasn’t much for the 45-64 age group. She said she honestly wasn’t sure how to make friends in the community, since she knew no one.
“I made this club, because ... well, as sad as it sounds, I had no idea how to make a friend,” Cornwell said. “You relocate to this paradise, you take eight to 10 months to get your new home set up and then realize, you have not engaged with anyone socially — outside of the kind workers at Publix. You can’t knock on a door and ask someone to be your friend, right? Moving here without knowing anyone, without employment, without school-age kids ... I was paralyzed.”
Unsure what to do, she posted online about how she wanted to make new friendships in Nocatee and realized that she wasn’t alone. Many others felt similarly, and that’s how Fifty Shades of Fun got started.
Cornwell said the group began with simple potluck dinners. It was an easy way to get to know people and form meaningful connections. Soon, however, the club grew and Cornwell began planning more fun events to bring people together.
The club has participated in food tours, game nights, scavenger hunts, pickleball and field trips to see manatees. Some club members have even taken trips together to France, Italy, Croatia and Greece. Today, the club has around 1,100 members and many of them are very active in the club.
When asked about what she has learned over the past nine years, Cornwell said that during 2020, she and the club realized how much socialization has a positive impact on mental health. The club tried to “physically distance,” but remained in touch through Zoom coffee dates and game nights.
“I love the diversity of all the people I come in contact with; I love knowing that if I have a need, there is someone to help; I love that my husband and I are fortunate enough financially to float this club ... because ... oh, by the way — no one pays membership dues — we are reimbursed when a ticket for an event is purchased,” Cornwell replied to what she likes most about what she does.
She encourages new members to commit to attending events and reach out to others.
“It’s been gratifying,” Cornwell said about getting to watch others form lifelong friendships through the club. She said she now has close friends in Nocatee that she calls “framily” (friends + family).
For the ninth anniversary, Cornwell is planning some exciting events to celebrate. She will also be gifting club members flowerpots full of poppies, which is the traditional flower for a ninth anniversary gift. She has committed to organize and run the club for 10 years, and feels that her goal of connecting people and fostering lifelong friendships has been a success this far. She is a self-proclaimed agent of change and is ready for the next chapter and plans to keep enjoying retirement with her husband and their “framily.”
To learn more, see Fifty-Shades-of-Fun Social Club on Facebook.
