Lyndsay Tiger had few people to talk with about her experienc- es as a mother after moving to Battle Ground from Oklahoma in September of last year.
To combat her loneliness, Tiger looked for opportunities to meet other moms and found the MOMS Club of Battle Ground, which offers a network of friends and community events for moms wanting to socialize.
Since joining the MOMS Club of Battle Ground in January, Tiger has found a support community to help her adjustment.
“I felt very lost. I had no friends or community after moving, my son was too young for pre-kindergarten... Since joining it’s been life-changing, my son and I [have made] lifelong friends,” Tiger said.
In addition to providing moms their own community, the MOMs Club of Battle Ground supports mothers in need by offering activities, including weekly chats and other events.
Club President Cheryl Cantrell said the community connection helps moms tackle the challenges that come with the role.
“[MOMS Club] is about getting the support you need and having connections with people who are going through the same type of things that you’re going through,” Cantrell said. “Some of us have dealt with postpartum depression. Some of us have dealt with divorce. It’s a good way for us to connect with somebody else that we can talk to and just feel heard.”
Monthly events include:
• Stroll & Stride: A meet-up at various parks in Clark County where mothers and children can walk and exercise together.
• Movies & Munchies: A month- ly movie night where kids can choose and watch their favorite films while enjoying snacks.
• Mom Crafts: A workshop where moms can bring their own crafts to work on while socializing.
• Lunch Bunch and Coffee & Chaos: Two monthly gatherings for casual eating and chatting with fellow members.
The MOMs Club also supports members in need. Cantrell said club members are currently providing a mom who underwent surgery with food. The Battle Ground club does not limit membership to stay-at-home moms. Working mothers are also welcome.
“I just enjoy the friendship and feeling like I’m more than just a mom,. I’m a friend too,” Cantrell said. “Before I had MOM’s club, I was just ‘mom.’ I’m more than just a husband or a wife or a mom, I’m a person, too, and that’s what I like about MOMS Club. I get to be myself.”
The club also adopts community projects, including Battle Ground’s South Florence Robinson Park. MOMS Club routinely cleans up the park. The club currently plans to establish a library box at its adopted park using a surplus of children’s books owned by club members. Alison Baur, a board member of the MOMS Club, hopes the club’s future activities will continue its sense of community.
“When I moved to Battle Ground, I had a 2-month-old baby. As a brand new stay-at-home mom in a new town, I felt isolated and overwhelmed. I was so lucky that I found MOMS Club pretty early on, and now, six years later, I’m still part of the group. I’ve met my best friends through MOMS Club, and we’ve had the joy of watching our kids grow up together,” Baur said.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the club had 25 members. The MOMS Club currently has 16 and welcomes new members.
Readers can learn more about MOMS Club of Battle Ground by visiting its Facebook page at facebook.com/MOMSClubMVP or emailing momsclubofbattle-ground@gmail.com.
