KINGSTON, ONST. LARRY'S PUBNOV 20232023 Gatherings
[ OVERVIEW ]Kingston NetworkBuddy gatherings are small experiments, not a monthly program. Each one tests a different setup, space, and mix of people to see what actually helps international students, newcomers, and denizens feel less alone while crossing.
Some gatherings are hosted by KNB in backyards, houses, pubs, or partner venues. These are peer‑led rooms where we pay attention to what is usually not said about permits, work, and belonging—and try small ways of making that more speakable together.
[ HIGHLIGHTS ]What KNB gatherings are about
Spaces we use
Backyards, living rooms, pubs, campus rooms, community halls, and partner venues in Kingston—kept as simple and informal as possible so people can relax, move around, and talk without feeling like they are at a conference.
Who is in the room
International students, newcomers, denizens, local partners, volunteers, and sometimes employers or service providers, meeting as peers rather than as “clients” and “experts.” People come when a gathering fits their season and needs; there is no membership.
What these gatherings test
Whether walking in with a buddy, sitting in small circles, and naming what is usually unsaid—about work, permits, money, bodies, and belonging—can make life in Kingston feel less isolating, and what structures are needed so that is possible without breaking the people who host.
How often they happen
A few times a year, when there is both need and capacity. KNB does not run on a monthly schedule; gatherings appear when the people building it can hold them, and the quiet seasons are part of the model.
2023 Fall Gathering
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Kingston, ON · St. Larry’s Pub · 17 Nov 2023
KNB’s 2023 Fall Gathering, Cocktails & Icebreakers, was the first big ‘above‑ground’ event after nine months of quiet, underground work—meeting people one by one, building trust, and slowly weaving a network.
The night brought more than 80 newcomers, locals, students, and professionals into one room to test what happens when all those carefully built connections are shared, not kept private: a gift of new relationships and possibilities that wouldn’t have existed without that patient work.
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Turning nine months of “underground” networking into one visible gathering, using icebreakers, cocktails, and hosted conversations to help people who had never met feel like they belonged in the same room.
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Over 80 guests: newcomers, locals, students, and professionals, plus VIP guest speakers including authors, community leaders, entrepreneurs, and local business owners such as Hardik Patel, Msenwa Oliver Mweneake, Pamela Paterson, Tarek Hussein, Norman Musengimana, and Martha Williams.
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The KNB pioneers—Mariana, Marinelly, Alan, Karan, Micah, Alwin, Paul, Harita, and others—handled invitations, logistics, venue and food, with Karan making sure every guest was welcomed and cared for throughout the night.
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Hardik Patel, founder of Belleville International, shared how he has worked to “put Belleville back on the map” by building a 10,000‑member community group with no funding—showing what is possible when one newcomer owns their identity, builds strong networks, and uses community engagement to lift a new home.
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That slow, underground relationship‑building can suddenly become visible as a powerful room: diverse, inspiring people connecting who might never have met otherwise.
It confirmed that KNB’s work is not just hosting events, but patiently weaving networks that can be shared with others when the time is right.
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For photos, the full story behind this ‘underground work’ year, see the original Cocktails & Icebreakers post on LinkedIn.
2023 Spring Gathering
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Kingston, ON · Gail’s Home Backyard · 31 May 2023
KNB’s 2023 Fall Gathering, Cocktails & Icebreakers, was the first big ‘above‑ground’ event after nine months of quiet, underground work—meeting people one by one, building trust, and slowly weaving a network.
The night brought more than 80 newcomers, locals, students, and professionals into one room to test what happens when all those carefully built connections are shared, not kept private: a gift of new relationships and possibilities that wouldn’t have existed without that patient work.
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Inviting a small group of people Gail had met at different events and wanted to see again, then letting them mingle with each other instead of only connecting back through her, using light icebreakers and casual drinks to loosen the room.
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International students, newcomers, and a few denizens and citizens who had crossed paths with Gail in earlier months—many meeting each other for the first time, all slightly nervous but curious enough to show up in someone’s yard.
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Hosting in her own backyard was nerve‑wracking: the first time asking people to trust her enough to come to a private space, and the first time seeing all these separate relationships in one place. It also made clear that KNB’s work would always be personal, not abstract.
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That a simple backyard, a few questions, and the right mix of people can turn first‑time nerves into real conversation—and that KNB could function as a lab for “who needs to meet whom,” not just a way for Gail to meet people herself.
2023 Virtual Networking
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Zoom · 06 Oct 2023
Two small online experiments to see if KNB’s ‘you don’t have to walk in alone’ promise could work in Zoom rooms—testing breakout rooms, prompts, and co‑hosts for people who couldn’t attend in person.
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A fully structured Zoom gathering with slides, icebreakers, and a set of guided questions about why people came to Kingston, their challenges, resources, and hopes for the future—trying to recreate KNB’s in‑person warmth online.
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International students joining from their rooms and houses, many meeting KNB for the first time, curious but also tired and stretched by work and/or study.
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Even with friendly prompts and breakout rooms, it was difficult to keep the same warmth and ease as in a backyard or café. Screens, delays, and the formality of “going around” the room made it harder for people to relax and interrupt each other naturally.
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That KNB’s strongest magic—peer concordance and low‑pressure conversation—doesn’t automatically translate to Zoom, and that online formats would need to be simpler and lighter, or paired with a strong guest like Hardik, to really work.
2023 Virtual Networking
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Zoom · 04 Nov 2023
Two small online experiments to see if KNB’s ‘you don’t have to walk in alone’ promise could work in Zoom rooms—testing breakout rooms, prompts, and co‑hosts for people who couldn’t attend in person.
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A Zoom session centred on one guest speaker, using storytelling and reflection instead of many icebreakers—testing whether a focused talk plus discussion could feel warmer and more useful than the first, heavily structured online experiment.
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Community leader, Hardik Patel spoke about crafting your narrative, being future‑ready for work, stepping into volunteering and community engagement, and leaving the comfort zone—framing connection as “trying to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud,” not just collecting contacts.
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International students at different stages of their journeys in Canada—some just arriving, others already settled into studies and part‑time work—looking for ways to grow, adapt, and contribute more intentionally to their communities.
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That online gatherings can “work” when there is a strong peer voice at the centre, but they still risk feeling like a classroom: hard to read faces, hard to feel warmth, and easy for people to stay quiet.
The session succeeded largely because of Hardik’s depth and clarity, and even he emphasized that he prefers in‑person networking and talks—confirming that KNB’s strongest work lives in physical rooms, with Zoom as a limited supplement rather than a main format.
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Hardik Patel’s video inspiring message.