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A place for young professionals
SWYP at Saints
One of Southwest Wisconsin Young Professionals' activities was a Dubuque Fighting Saints game.

PLATTEVILLE — Put yourself in the place of a single college-educated professional new to Platteville.

Other than hang out with your coworkers, where do you go for recreation? Where do you go to meet people in similar circumstances to your own?

The answer is to join Southwest Wisconsin Young Professionals, a three-year-old group for “dynamic people age 21–40,” according to the group’s literature.

“I’m involved with the Jaycees in Platteville, and different organizations,” said Joe Nolan of Tricor Insurance, SWYP’s president. “Where we got the opportunity to be different is in the fact we want to keep things fresh and profile different businesses in the area. We try to have activities at that location — something fun or something where we can learn about that business.”

SWYP is the successor to Young Professionals of Platteville, a group in existence from 2000 to 2008 that “sort of fizzled out,” said Nolan. “We don’t want to put too many requirements on people as far as too much stuff to attend.”

The group now has 35 members.

“We have a variety of people; there’s no limit on that,” said Nolan. “Primarily the goal of the group is networking, meeting different people in town, and getting exposure to businesses in the area.

“A lot of people in the group aren’t Platteville natives. Most of the people in the group currently live in Platteville, but a lot of folks in the group weren’t born in Platteville; they’re transplants for one reason or another.”

Nolan is SWYP’s second president, after Joe Rosemeyer, who was president for the group’s first two years.

“There was some interest,” said Nolan. “Joe wanted to resurrect it. Kathy Kopp at the chamber was hoping to get it going.”

SWYP holds events on the second Thursday of the month. On Thursday, the group is going to Pizzeria Uno for a beanbag tournament. The group plans to go to the Ticket July 12, Pioneer Ford Aug. 9, the Badger Bar for card games Sept. 13, Badger Brothers Coffee Shop Oct. 11, Pioneer Lanes Nov. 8 and a Christmas party Dec. 13. The group also has plans for a Milwaukee Brewers game in July, a picnic at Harrison Park in August, and a dinner and movie night in November.

Membership is $30 for individuals and $50 for couples.

“With the Young Professionals group, we’re just a little bit different from the Jaycees,” said Nolan. “I look at them as a service group, whereas I se this group as a networking group for people who have limited time.”

SWYP has a page on Facebook. More information is available by emailing wiscoswyp@gmail.com.