The very young and the young at heart shared loving moments when children from the MOMS Club of Seal Beach—Old Town gave homemade valentines to participants in the Senior Lunch Program at the North Seal Beach Center recently.
The preschoolers made the valentines as one of the service projects regularly performed by the families in the Moms Offering Moms Support Club of Seal Beach—Old Town.
The Seal Beach—Old Town chapter of MOMS Club International was founded in June 2011 by Jennifer Rohdenburg when approximately 20 members transferred over from the MOMS Club of Seal Beach.
“While we loved being a part of the Seal Beach club, we wanted a more intimate connection with moms in Old Town and more options within walking distance of our homes,” Ms. Rohdenburg said.
The Old Town chapter now serves 40 local families from Old Town, the Hill, Heron Pointe, and Sea Breeze Village. It is expected to grow during this year’s membership drive, which will culminate with a Valentine’s Day Party Open House on Feb. 12.
“I joined the MOMS Club as a way to meet other new moms in the neighborhood, but it has turned into an opportunity to serve our community in so many small but meaningful ways,” Chapter President Olaina Anderson said.
Ms. Rohdenburg currently serves as the club’s Vice President and is in charge of organizing service projects. “I have a passion for philanthropy,” Ms. Rohdenburg said. “All of us moms together can make a significant difference in our community.”
For example, this school year, the Club has donated 75 backpacks along with lots of paper, pens, pencils, scissors and school supplies to For the Child, a Long Beach agency that provides services to children and their families who are affected by child abuse. The Old Town chapter also provided For the Child clients with food at Thanksgiving and toys and gifts for the holidays.
MOMS Club members also participate in the Prom Dress Project hosted by St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood. Zenaida Alfaro, a club member and Registered Nurse at the Medical Center, is collecting dresses, shoes, and accessories suitable for prom, as well as business attire to prepare young women for high school graduation and college or job interviews.
This year, they are also collecting ties and pocket square of all colors, so that they can give the girls a matching tie for their prom date. Anyone interested in making a tax deductible donation to the Prom Dress Project may contact Ms. Alfaro at momscluboldtown@yahoo.com before Feb. 18.
One of the highlights for local MOMS Club members is the semi-annual swap. Inspired by all of the great, barely-used items that children have but no longer use, MOMS Club member Roxana Zirakzadeh organizes an event for MOMS to free-cycle their goods. Families bring items to donate and take items they need. After the swap, remaining items are donated to Precious Life Shelter in Los Alamitos.
“It’s a great way to clean out your house, help others, and pick up some new things you might need,” Ms. Zirakzadeh said. “It’s all free and it’s all in our very own community. There is so much abundance to be shared in our collected closets and garages.”
While it may sound like the MOMS Club is all about community service, its primary goal is to create a space where Moms Offer Moms Support.
This is achieved through the time moms spend together for playgroups, exercise, moms’ night out, and field trips.
“We provide families in our neighborhood with opportunities to gather at parks, the beach, and local businesses. Members love the sense of community in Old Town, and our club is a great way to meet other moms in the area,” Ms. Anderson said. For more information, e- mail momscluboldtown@yahoo.com.
