HOUGHTON — What started as a local professional networking group has spread its wings and is now recognized as a thriving, community resource and support network for those newly in the working world. Last week, the organization formerly known as Keweenaw Young Professionals announced its rebrand as Circle UP.

Circle UP Chair, Shelby Oja, said she joined the group in 2018 and has seen it grow post-Covid.

“It [Circle UP] started off originally as more of like a traditional networking type of organization specifically for young professionals,” she said. “It kind of fell apart during Covid, like a lot of things. So, this is kind of our attempt to kind of bring back some energy into the organization.”

Oja said she recognized the change the organization went through since she had joined. Circle UP is aiming for a tactical rebrand to reposition itself as a group welcoming people who need all kinds of connection.

“It kind of got to a point where, the words ‘young’ and ‘professional’ weren’t really painting the right picture for kind of what the organization turned into,” she said. “So, [we’re] trying to make it feel a little bit more welcoming to a broader community of people.”

According to Oja, Circle UP’s demographic was missing out on the membership of those coming straight out of college in their early 20s, as well as those between their late 30s and early 50s. In the organization’s infancy, a professional networking group was what people needed, but Oja said the events Circle UP has recently hosted highlight ways to get involved in the community.

“They’ve heard some of our events, like on the radio or in the news, and they’ve come because they don’t know anybody. So that gives them an opportunity to create connections,” she said. “We try to do events held in different areas and different places that kind of showcase different things that you’re able to do in the Keweenaw.”

To celebrate the rebrand, Circle UP will be hosting a kick-off event on June 13 at The Orpheum in downtown Hancock. The event will feature food and music, introduce the new Circle UP board and offer an opportunity to mingle with current and new members of the group.

Oja said the event is for anyone, whether they have heard of the group or not.

“We have sort of an interactive activity that can encourage people to mingle a little bit more and meet new people,” she said. “And then, we’ll have a short presentation from myself that will kind of go over the history of the organization, a recap of the last year and then an explanation of the new name and kind of what to expect going forward.”

Information about the group and its upcoming events can be found on the Circle UP website at circleupkeweenaw.org.