 Singles Volunteering: Sponsor Venues |
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| Finding your honey in a hurry Speed dating puts relationships on the fast track . . . or not By Meredith Moss Dayton Daily News Can you find your soulmate in four minutes? You'll get a chance to try [March 16] when Accel-a-Date hosts its first "speed dating" event in the Miami Valley. The concept of speed dating began in California in 1999 when an Orthodox rabbi came up with an innovative way for busy Jewish singles to meet one another in a safe and non-pressured environment. Since then, his "SpeedDating" and its numerous spin-offs have turned into a national phenomenon. You'll find the unique dating service in most major cities throughout the nation; a story in last week's USA Today reported the social events are now being held on cruise ships. The Dayton version, billed as "Accelerated Dating for Busy Singles," will be introduced [March 16] at the Thirsty Dog in Centerville. The event is being brought to town by Sherie Bishop, a single working woman who attended a Progressive Daters event in Cincinnati in December and quickly decided the Miami Valley needed something similar. "I met a lot of very interesting people, and I really enjoyed the evening," says the West Carrollton woman. "We don't have enough places in Dayton for singles to meet in a safe, fun way." Though details may vary from town to town, the basic scenario remains the same: an equal number of men and women of a specific age group gather in a cafe or restaurant. They pay $25 each to attend. By the end of the evening, each will have spent a few minutes — in Accel-a-Date's case, four minutes — in a casual, face-to-face conversation with about 25 members of the opposite sex. Before they leave, they'll be asked to fill out a form indicating whose e-mail addresses they'd like to have. If the feeling is mutual, they'll receive e-mail addresses or phone numbers a few days later. Bishop, 47, works in sales and says she's always wanted to start her own business. She was encouraged by enthusiastic friends and family. Her best friend, Beth Bruns, is helping on the project. "I've found it very hard to meet people in Dayton," says Bruns, 35, who's been living as a single person in Dayton since 1993. "So many people are just looking for an efficient way to meet people," she believes. "They're tired of the bar scene, and they've already met all their friends' friends." Bruns' friends who've attended speed dating evenings in other towns seem to have fun and enjoy them. "One friend said that even if she didn't meet any men, the evening was worthwhile because it put her in contact with a lot of other women in her same situation and she enjoyed talking with them also," Bruns says. Bishop will have her Accel-a-Date events on Sunday evenings at Centerville's Thirsty Dog Grill and Brewing Company. The restaurant's front-of-house manager Kitty Brittain says she'd heard about speed dating on national television and knew it had been a good thing for the restaurants that hosted it. "It brings in a lot of new customers, and a lot of different age groups," she says, adding that not many people book the party room on Sunday nights. Brittain says it would be nice if the events produce some matches. "I used to be the owner of Four Riverplace, so I'm used to seeing people become engaged and that's nice!" Bishop intends to have 40 to 50 singles at each event. Four minutes, she says, is ideal for getting a first impression, discovering common interests and seeing "if there's a spark." At the beginning of each session, she'll review the ground rules: no last names or specific information about where you work or live, no phone number or e-mail address, no asking for dates. Women are seated at numbered tables, the men circulate from table to table. A bell rings after each four-minute session, indicating it's time for them to move on. Before beginning each "date," participants have a minute to fill out a "Yes/No" match card about the person they've just met. As for advice on speed dating, that's available too. The Los Angeles rabbi who started the trend — Rabbi Yaacov Deyo — has written a book just released in paperback called Speed Dating: The Smarter, Faster Way to Lasting Love (Harper, $10.95 in paperback). The goal, Deyo says, is to help singles find meaningful relationships without wasting too much time and investing too much emotion. Dayton participants however, can plan to invest $25 for each Accel-a-Date evening. Attendees must register in advance or take their chances of getting a spot on the night of the event. "It's not a tremendous investment, most dating services are really expensive," says Bruns. "A lot of people say: For 25 bucks, I'll give it a shot." [From the Dayton Daily News: 03.09.2003] |
