What better way to explore an interest that you have or start something new than with a group of other folks who are just as excited about it! Being a part of a club is an excellent way to keep you accountable in pursuing things you want to get better at, and it is also a great way to build your community and make friendships. Whatever your goals are, it'll be that much easier with a group of people supporting you.

Here are 5 clubs to checkout in the Upper Valley.

Upper Valley Running Club

They get together Saturdays at 9 am at Omer and Bob's Sport's Shop and then go for a group run. The running club also does year-round workouts on Tuesdays at 5:30 pm. Timothy Smith or Dorcas DenHartog leads it, and they have somewhere between 10-50 members participate each week. During the warmer months, they meet at the Hanover High track or the Dartmouth track, and in the colder months, they do hill workouts at Occom Pond or Tuck Drive in Hanover. Once a month, they also organize a post-workout get-together! Here is an opportunity for you to push yourself to the next level.

Contact [email protected] with any questions. You can also check them out on Meetup here www.meetup.com/Upper-Valley-Running-Club/events/. For more information, you can also go to their website here uppervalleyrunningclub.org/. 

The Dartmouth Outing Club

The Dartmouth Outing Club is an umbrella organization that specializes in outdoor recreation and has a dozen member clubs. Membership in the DOC welcomes all members of the Dartmouth community and anyone who shares the same interest. The club has about 3000 members, made up of half students and half non-student participants. They organize outdoor trips and hiking, have outdoor leadership and medical/safety education, and they service roughly fifty miles of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Check out their website here to see which one of their clubs you might be interested in, outdoors.dartmouth.edu/doc/clubs.html.

The Cabin and Trail Club, for example, has weekend hiking trips to the White Mountains and the Green Mountains, among other destinations. It emphasizes wilderness education and building skills to lead trips, maintain trails, shelters, and cabins, focusing on giving back to the wilderness. 

French Club

Have you been wanting to learn a new language? There are a few language clubs in the Upper Valley you can choose from, but for those of you who are interested in learning French, then the Howe Library in Hanover has a great French Club to help you on your journey! You can practice your French conversation with the guidance of Gloria Finkelstein, "Madam G," and enjoy the fun social and interactive programs, workshops, special events, and even field trips. You can partake in cooking, singalongs, and art topics! All ages and levels are welcome! For information about meetings and events, check out their website here www.thehowe.org/frenchclub, to get up-to-date info. 

The Page Turners Book Club- An Upper Valley Reading Group

For those who love to read and want to do it more, you can join this book club in the Upper Valley! There are currently about 100 members strong. They select the books they read as a group a month in advance. After you read it (or listen to the audiobook), you can get together with this lovely and friendly group to discuss it. They get together once a month, either virtually or in person, to chat about the ideas of the book and what your experience was reading it. This book club is open to any genre. 

Their next meeting is on September 9th, where they will discuss The Hundred Year Old Man who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson. For more information about this club, you can find them on Meetup here www.meetup.com/Page-Turners-Book-Club-An-Upper-Valley-Reading-Group/.

Quechee Area Camera Club (QACC)

Photography is a fun, artistic expression that anyone can do! It's an easy way to explore a new art form, or if you already love photography and want to do more of it with fun people, then this club could be what you are looking for. This is a diverse group who love taking photos and desire to share ideas and support each other in this artistic expression. 

They have a wide range of skill levels amongst their members, from beginner photographers to professionals who come together from across the Upper Valley. You can use your camera phone or an analog camera-whatever you're into! And if you don't know yet, this club is a great way to figure it out with the support of other passionate individuals who know about different camera options. The QACC meets once per month every 2nd Tuesday, and they also take Photo Walk field trips together. The goal is to try new things and have fun! For more information and to stay up to date about their next event, check out their meetup site here, www.meetup.com/Quechee-Area-Camera-Club/.