Tired of Being Alone, a Vermonter Starts Her Own Social Media Page—and Discovers Many Others Are Lonely Too
“I’m fun, likable, intelligent, interesting, charismatic and kind,” Smith wrote in her post. “But something about Vermont just won’t let me in.” - Lacey Smith
When Lacey Smith moved to Vermont four years ago, she expected to build the kind of friendships she had made everywhere else she had lived. Instead, what she found was a stubborn loneliness that grew heavier with each passing year.
In July, Smith posted a message on Reddit under the heading “Lonely in Vermont”. She described years of failed attempts to connect—going to church, yoga, grief groups, drum circles, and classes she could barely afford on a tight income. She wrote that she had invited coworkers out repeatedly, only to receive polite brush-offs. And after losing two immediate family members within two years, her grief collided with social isolation, which her therapist warned was edging toward agoraphobia.
“I’m fun, likable, intelligent, interesting, charismatic and kind,” Smith wrote in her post. “But something about Vermont just won’t let me in.”
Smith explained that she wanted to keep living in Vermont and serving her community—she works in behavioral health—but she had nearly resigned herself to “a life of loneliness and isolation.”
From Reddit Post to Facebook Community
Her candid post struck a chord. Dozens of people replied with empathy, sharing similar struggles of trying to build connections in Vermont. Many admitted that despite loving the outdoors and the culture of the Green Mountains, they too felt cut off socially.
Encouraged by the response, Smith decided to take action. She created a new Facebook group called the Central Vermont Friendship Committee, described as a place “to find, plan, and invite new friends to meet up and socialize in Central Vermont.”
The page quickly gained momentum, having grown to nearly 250 members and filled with posts suggesting low-cost, easy ways to meet: coffee dates, potluck dinners, trivia nights, hikes, music jams, and craft circles.
“All are welcome,” the group’s description reads. “New to VT and want to explore? Been here forever and want to meet new people? This group is intended to function as a message board to invite neighbors to come along.”
Loneliness as a Shared Vermont Experience
Smith’s story resonates with a broader theme many newcomers—and even longtime residents—recognize. In rural places like the Northeast Kingdom, where Smith first lived, residents can be warm but cautious with outsiders. In Central Vermont, where she moved to Montpelier, people may already have established friend groups, often connected through children, long family ties, or community institutions.
Smith pointed out that she had managed to form friendships in other parts of New England, but something about Vermont felt different. “It seems like 30-something Vermonters already have their people and aren’t looking for more,” she said.
Her decision to create a digital gathering space may be one response to the challenge. In a state with small towns spread across rural landscapes, an online community could provide the missing bridge that helps residents meet face-to-face.
Building Something New
The success of the Central Vermont Friendship Committee in just a few weeks suggests Smith was not alone in her feelings. By posting openly about her struggle and then offering a solution, she tapped into a widespread, if rarely spoken, problem.
The posts now appearing on the page reflect a simple but powerful idea: that friendship doesn’t have to cost money, and sometimes it just takes a public invitation to get people out of their routines.
Smith says she plans to keep organizing low-key meetups—picnics, group walks, coffee chats—and hopes others will also take the lead in suggesting activities.
What began as one person’s cry of frustration has become a small movement. And in Vermont, where loneliness often hides behind scenic beauty and busy lives, Smith’s experiment shows that there may be more people than expected ready to connect—if someone is willing to extend the first invitation.