Prairiewoods launches ‘Unplugged’ social evenings in Hiawatha

HIAWATHA — Today, smartphone users can connect with friends at the tap of a button, see faces from afar with video calling and find strangers with common interests around the globe.

But despite social media and the vast technological advances of the last 20 years that have made handheld communication devices ubiquitous, some people feel more disconnected than ever.

The resulting loneliness that has come with an increased dependence on technology is more than just “having the blues.” In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy recognized loneliness as a mounting health epidemic in America.

“Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling,” Murthy said. “Being socially disconnected … is bad both for individual and societal health.”

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Research shows that isolation and loneliness are associated with a greater risk of heart disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and premature death. Lacking connection, Murthy said, can increase the risk of premature death to levels comparable to daily smoking.

Health effects aside, more and more are recognizing a lack of social connection in their lives.

“People don’t go to church as much anymore, they’re not as much part of fraternal (service) organizations. People are working remotely, not having that social interaction,” said Leslie Schwarting, spiritual director and retreat facilitator at Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center. “Through programs we offer, we hear a consistent theme: people are lonely, people are feeling disconnected and are craving opportunities for relationships.”

A new event at Prairiewoods is aiming to help the community on both fronts — increasing socialization while decreasing screen time.

How it started

Since its inception 29 years ago, Prairiewoods has offered silent retreats and “digital detox” weekends to log off, contemplate in nature and reconnect to one’s self.

But when Schwarting heard about the popular Offline Club in Europe, she saw an opportunity for new programming that offers similar benefits without the need for silence.

Founded in 2024 in Amsterdam by young adults, The Offline Club aimed to foster genuine human connection by unplugging from technology. Before long, it spread like wildfire with events across the continent.

So, Schwarting considered how to replicate the event with opportunities for community, connection and relationship building.

“There’s so much distraction we have in this world with our devices, and the foundations of community have been so fragmented,” she said. “Simply being in the presence of other people is really a gift for many people that are living alone or working alone.”

Unplugged Evening at Prairiewoods, available to everyone of all ages, held its first event in September 2024, and its second Jan. 23. It aims to continue on the fourth Thursday of every month, as long as there’s interest.

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How it works

With an open house style from 4 to 8 p.m. once a month, the unstructured event is simple.

Each event may start with a round of introductions. Attendees can bring hobbies to catch up on, like knitting or needlework. They can read a book, get to know those around them with ice breaker questions, play games or color a mandala tablecloth.

For a small fee, they can enjoy a catered dinner, too.

Many come with the intention of meeting others, priming them to make connections, Schwarting said. And with no smartphones, the impulse to rely on a crutch is removed.

“The digital component of this is inviting people to leave their devices and reengage with eye contact,” she said. “While it sounds so simple, it can be such a struggle.”

The director in her 50s, who remembers a world before smartphones, said the need for an event like this is “heartbreaking.” With two daughters in their 20s, she said younger generations can struggle with what used to be an art — introducing yourself to someone across the room and striking up conversation with a stranger.

But it’s not just Millennials or Generation Z that struggle. Older adults, many of whom use the internet and smartphones as a lifeline to the outside world, have experienced similar side effects with reliance on technology.

“It’s a testament to how we have not necessarily prioritized relationships in a way that we can,” she said. “But it’s not a lost cause.”

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Getting back to basics

This event, the director hopes, will get people back to basics.

While the program just started, attendees have already started to see the value.

Cleo Sullivan, a 25-year-old academic adviser at Coe College, grew up in nearby Monticello. She returned to Iowa over a year ago, after a couple years away.

But despite being an Iowa native, she feels new to the state. Finding connection in places where adults in their mid-20s and 30s are valued can be elusive, she said.

“There’s not a clear space for us to meet,” she said. “A lot of us feel pretty isolated and don’t know where … we can be valued and heard as young people and as concerned citizens.”

A member of Gen Z, she’s discovering a desire to connect more in person and get better acquainted with her community. While technology can aid in some aspects of community building, she believes it also can have some counterintuitive side effects.

She’s found solace in select other spaces, like the 237 Collective for those interested in art. She also attends St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, but notes a lack of people her age in the congregation.

Unplugged Evening at Prairiewoods gave her a chance to connect with others her age to help restart her social network in Eastern Iowa.

“I definitely think there is more of a desire now, more than ever, for young people to connect off the screens,” Sullivan said. “I think being able to find those spaces where they know they’re going to be valued and listened to as members of the community, that’s where a lot of young people have a hard time branching out.”

Julie Farmer, 60, also noticed how nice it was to unplug for the evening. She enjoyed seeing what the future of the community looks like through the eyes of younger residents in the Cedar Rapids area.

The people are what stood out to her.

“To me, community is anywhere you show up,” Farmer said. “Community is pretty easy to build if you’re open to it. I know for sure what the pandemic taught us is that we need connection.”

Schwarting said silent retreat and digital detox program attendees often feel a new sense of freedom, creativity and awareness of the world around them. Perhaps a pared down dose, once a month, could instill similar benefits.

“There’s so much hurt in the world, but there’s so much goodness at the end of our line of sight we don’t always take in,” she said. “People look up and see the beauty of the world around them.”

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.