On Friday, March 9, the MOMS Club of Mint Hill hosted a Membership Drive at the Mint Hill Library.
MOMS Club of Mint Hill is a chapter of the International MOMS Club. The acronymous name stands for “Moms Offering Moms Support,” and that is precisely what each MOMS Club chapter aims to do.
MOMS Club frequently draws stay-at-home moms of young children who are not yet in school, but the club is open to at-home moms of children of any age. The club offers frequent daytime playdates for children as well as kid-friendly activities for moms. One popular activity for moms this spring has been cooking club, a monthly activity where moms come together to cook a dish, often learning as they go. Other kid-friendly activities for mom include hiking and gardening.
In addition to “whole group” events, the MOMS Club also helps members to form small playgroups of similarly-aged children that meet in members’ homes. In addition to kid-friendly daytime events, the club hosts monthly “Moms Nights Out” just for mom. There are also occasional weekend events aimed at the whole family like Fall Family Day and the Winter Holiday party.
MOMS Club of Mint Hill frequently participates in service projects that give back to the local community. The service projects, chosen by club’s Service Coordinator in conjunction with the club’s Executive Board, can involve collecting donations or volunteering members’ time. In February, the MOMS Club assisted Arlington Baptist Church with “Room at the Inn” by making up beds, preparing desserts and collecting toiletries for the church’s homeless guests. In March, the club is organizing an Easter Egg hunt for children in the day treatment program at Alexander Youth Network.
Friday’s informal open house in the library’s Community Room was an opportunity for Mint Hill’s at-home moms to meet current members and learn more about the club while their children played. Older children colored and made pipe cleaner sculptures while younger toddlers played with a selection of toys on the floor.
“We had a really good turnout,” says President Jennifer Allen. “I’m super excited about all the people that showed up. My goal was to meet new people, to get the word out. I feel like even if we get zero new members, it’s nice for the community to know who we are!”
The event saw almost a dozen prospective members come out to learn more about the club. “We had moms waiting in the parking lot before the library opened!” says Associate Vice President Barbie Tallent. “More moms got to meet us and have all of their questions answered personally, which makes a difference.”
After attending the open house, Tara Huerta decided to join the club on the same day. “At the meet and greet, I felt so welcomed,” says Huerta, who had been interested in the club for some time and heard about the open house on Facebook. “I felt like I was finally in an environment and surrounded by women who truly understand my joys and struggles at this point in my life. I decided to join because I felt it would be a great opportunity for my girls to have social interaction with other children their age. I also joined for me. I feel I found a great tribe of women that I can relate to and they can relate to me.
MOMS Club of Mint Hill has weekly group play dates at Wilgrove Park or Charlotte AllStars depending on weather. If you’d like more information about the club and its upcoming events you can find them on Facebook (@MOMSClubofMintHill) or email them at minthillmoms@gmail.com.
