The New England members tend to invite the entire group to personal parties/housewarmings/weddings/birthdays. We've helped each other move into new apartments/houses and towed each other when our cars aren't working properly, etc.
I'd say out of that whole group, I consider about 3-4 as real close friends, and the rest are just people that show up for the free food and leave
I think the distance is the biggest factor in all of that.
I'd like to think that if more of the members lived within a half hour/hour drive, I'd try to hang with them more regularly than just at meets.
Money is the second biggest factor. We work too damn much and too damn hard. It's hard to find the spare time to do things around the house, let alone arrange to hang out with each other more often.
