Salisbury HUB celebrates community at Grove gathering

SALISBURY — Children ran the lawn and clambered on Columbia’s statue as parents and other patrons sipped courtesy cocktails outside Salisbury’s White Hart Inn on Wednesday, July 10.

The gathering, arranged by the newly-formed Salisbury HUB and sponsored by the Salisbury Association, was planned to further the primary goal of the HUB—to bring together young people and families from local communities.

Founded in 2023, the HUB began as a group of youthful newcomers to Salisbury who expressed a desire to better integrate town residents in their common phase of life.

“For people who are new to the area, it can be difficult to find and meet other young families,” said Elina Tunyan, HUB organizer and operator of Hudson, New York’s Play Pop.

Many simply stumble across each other, meeting by coincidence when strolling their towns’ sidewalks and greens. The HUB, however, aims to promote a more robust sense of community by providing organized venues to foster such meetings. Events are scheduled at times and locations that are convenient for working people and families with children.

According to Salisbury Association President Jeanette Weber, the HUB is doing work that is critical to the success of surrounding towns.

“Young people will become our volunteers, donors, board members; our future,” said Weber, pointing out that recent global developments — such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the trend toward remote work — have seen young people settling in rural Connecticut in surprising numbers. “They come to our communities and want to get involved, but they don’t always know how.”

The Salisbury Association backs the HUB by providing sponsorship and promotion for its events. Indirectly, it supports the HUB’s objectives by advancing affordable housing initiatives — one of many efforts to make the region as accessible as it is attractive to prospective residents. “Young people keep our businesses thriving and our schools open,” said Weber, who hopes that expanded options for housing will continue to draw in younger residents and families.

Forthcoming HUB projects include holiday parties and pop-up events for children. Eventually, Tunyan hopes, the group aspires to grow into a regular schedule and permanent location. Salisbury HUB events and meetups are posted on the Salisbury Association’s Community Events Calendar.

Contact Jeanette Weber of the Salisbury Association at (860) 435-0566, or via email at info@salisburyassociation.org, for more information or to get involved.