Brian Hollstein
When you have a group of people as accomplished as those belonging to the Senior Men’s Club of New Canaan (SMCNC), it might be a bit intimidating for those on the outside, wondering about membership requirements. But there are only two things necessary to join.
Fellowship and camaraderie. That and fifty bucks.
“It’s a really interesting crowd, and most everyone here has done pretty well in life,” says SMCNC President Brian Hollstein, a former special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and later in charge of corporate security for the Xerox Corporation. “But nobody here is particularly interested in revisiting the past. It’s who are you now? What are you doing now?”
With about 400 members currently, the SMCNC has a variety of activities, the most regular of which is a Friday morning get together at Morrill Hall in St. Mark’s Church, featuring a guest speaker, that provides an opportunity to meet and socialize.
“So many of us who have lived in New Canaan worked in New York City and traveled a lot,” says Hollstein. “We weren’t around here that much. When you retire, there’s much less travel. The Senior Men’s Club helps people get over the hump. It provides a reason to come and meet people and get involved in new activities.”
The SMCNC has a distinguished record of volunteer work in the New Canaan community, dating back over 37 years. Waveny Care Center, New Canaan Inn, AmeriCares, Getabout, Meals On Wheels, Stamford Hospital, New Canaan schools, EMS services and Gospel Garden are just a few of the diverse groups benefitting from the member efforts.
There are a wide variety of activities and sporting options. A chartered bus takes members to New York on a regular basis, to Ellis Island, Belmont Race Track, the New York Philharmonic, Broadway and sports venues. There is a bridge game Friday nights, a walking ‘sub club,’ golf outings, tennis games and much more.
“People don’t see the totality of what’s going on within the Senior Men’s Club,” notes Hollstein. “We’re trying to encourage men in New Canaan to come and get involved. As we all get older, things get creaky and it’s sometimes hard to get around. The club provides a place to be with like-minded people.”
The Friday morning speaker series is the most regular event. It’s held about 40 times a year. Speakers come from all walks of life. The five for October include an award-winning actor, a member of the Stamford Hospital Foundation, the executive director of a major charitable organization, the chairman emeritus of a global advertising agency, and an international real estate expert. Each speaks for 40 minutes, and then takes questions.
Hollstein emphasizes that while past careers are not emphasized on a regular basis, the SMCNC member do for the most part have fascinating and diverse histories, making for a interesting group.
“There are a lot of IBM’ers, we have a guy who was a bomber pilot in World War 2, and someone who was a member of Team Ferrari,” he notes. “A newspaper publisher, airline pilots and a Czech partisan who fought the Nazis.”
But it’s the future that counts, not the past. The club provides a forum for senior men to get together, make new friends and enjoy each other’s company. New members are announced at Friday meetings and introduced to other members.
Hollstein points out that most men are not used to joining clubs, unlike women, so it takes effort to get new members.
“Women have an established infrastructure for clubs, but men don’t,” he notes. “To join us, all you need is to reside in New Canaan, be 55 and pay 50 bucks. Our ages range from 55 to 92. And we have more than enough things to do. We’re part of the people who run New Canaan. We’re not sitting on our cans.”
More info: smcnc.org