It’s almost the end of 2022. Our lives all changes in March of 2020. No one would argue it’s been a challenging two years. How can a support group survive when 90% of our strength is to support other parents in person? That’s the question we asked ourselves two years ago.
Thanks to many of our resilient board members, not only have we survived, but we’ve re-written the meaning of support. Meredith Fitzgerald was our club president during this unwanted transition. I can’t imagine how challenging that must have been - it would be for anyone. I admire the perseverence - always thinking about members, and always willing to compromise events and giving us choices, and finding new ways to engage members, to hang on to something that we do best - social interaction. How do you interact socially when you’re supposed to socially distance? I have to admit that I, myself, had gotten lost during the past few years, but knowing that the club kept going - while events had to be modified- can be a light in the darkness, something constant.
Two years ago, this could be us - our tag sales were voluminous, with endless products for moms and children. The tag sales were also surrounded by vendor tables, lots of shoppers, sellers and support. We all worked hard together, and we all did it as a team to support our fellow multiple parents. Before the pandemic, we held our tag sale in large venues, complete with vendor tables, but social distancing put an end to that.
It didn't stop us, though. We found a way. Although it's not our traditional giant event, the most important thing is that we are here to support our members in the best way that we can.
Our ability to change, adapt, then modify again shows that nothing is more important to us than family. We know how our own family is, and we know that support is so important for so many of our fellow parents on the same journey. We strive to be there for them, for each other and for ourselves.
Watching our children grow, learn, and become their own little people can be so exciting. I've been in the club for 13 years, and I've seen a lot of evolution in that time. I've watched my fellow members' children grow from infants to toddlers to school-aged children. Our club is resilient. Our club is the tower of strength that won't be destroyed by a winter storm. We stand tall, and we survive for our families, our children, and each other.
Last of all, let's take care of ourselves. We can't be helpful to anyone else until we are healthy. It's a lot to take care of - our health, our mental health, our well-being, our physical selves, balance between work, family and friends. It's not easy, but we're here for each other, and that's something we should never forget.