MOMS Club of Concord offers fun activities for mothers

How many moms can you fit in an orchard wagon? This many! MOMS Club President Kristen Johnson (far left) and Vice President Sarah Valle (far right) lead a group into the apples.
How many moms can you fit in an orchard wagon? This many! MOMS Club President Kristen Johnson (far left) and Vice President Sarah Valle (far right) lead a group into the apples.

This group of stay-at-home moms doesn't do a whole lot of staying at home.

The MOMS Club of Concord, a local chapter of an international organization – MOMS stands for “Moms Offering Moms Support” – boasts a membership of almost 50 mothers and a calendar busier than most corporate executives.

There can be as many as four or five events per week on the schedule for a group that provides local women an opportunity to bond with other parents and children. They can often be spotted at any of the city's parks or playgrounds, hiking throughout the capital region or picking apples and enjoying tractor rides, as they did at Carter Hill Orchard on Friday morning.

“Most of us are stay-at-home moms, and it's just a support network,” Kristen Johnson, president of the local chapter, said. “If you saw our calendar, it's pretty full. As many moms as we can help in the area, that's sort of what we're all about.”

There are monthly activities, including trips to local farms, museums, parks and pools, as well as simple sojourns to playgrounds, all devised to give moms and their children a network of friends to communicate and share with.

Johnson was looking for precisely that when she moved to the Concord area from Massachusetts a little more than two years ago.

“It was nice to have this, for sure,” she said. “It made me feel much more comfortable having some automatic connections.”

The impact has already been similar for Brie Burns, who relocated from Denver to Concord less than two months ago. Friday's wagon ride at Carter Hill was just her second event, but she's already comfortable with the group and researched it even before unpacking her bags in New Hampshire.

“I looked it up to see if they had a MOMS Club when we were moving here, and I was really thrilled,” Burns, who was involved in a similar group in Denver, said. “It's great instantly having a few familiar faces around town.”

There's certainly plenty of opportunities to see them. The group is involved in a variety of service projects, including a recent bake sale at the Concord Farmers' Market to raise money for Friends of Forgotten Children, and has several smaller clubs within the larger one, including a book club, a walking club and a sunshine club, the latter of which provides meals for members with new babies who are undergoing a “life change” such as the loss of a family member or a major illness, according to the group's website.

As much as these moms love their kids, they need some time for themselves, too, so there is also a wine club, where the group gathers at a member's home and samples some wine, and a monthly moms night out, where the ladies heads out on the town for some entertainment. A favorite spot for that has been the Barley House's trivia night.

Membership in the group is $15, all of which goes toward paying for excursions, and anyone from 10 area towns – Concord, Bow, Hopkinton, Penacook, Boscawen, Webster, Salisbury, Loudon, Chichester, Epson, Deerfield, Pembroke and Allenstown – are welcome, though Johnson said nobody would ever be turned away for inability to pay or for coming from another town.

Between monthly board meetings for a seven-member board, the moms night out and a handful of activities, there's always something going on. Which is precisely how these don't-really-stay-at-home moms like it.

“I enjoy the friendships with the other moms, and having playdates for my kids where I can go to the playground and know the other moms,” Johnson said.

Added Burns wryly: “If you're a mom in Concord and you're lonely, it's your fault. This group is so active.”

To get involved or to learn more information, email concordmomsclub@gmail.com or visit concordmoms.com.

Author: Keith Testa

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3 Comments

  1. Dear all moms :),

    My name is Tracy Nguyen, I am the owner of Polished Nails Salon in 341 Loudon Road, Concord, NH, 03301. I have heard about your club via a friend. I would like to be the member of the club, as well as want to introduce my business sevices to all mom, women in the club. My Nails Salon just had a grand opening on Feb 14th, 2017. I have a very big promotion at this time (buy one get one free gift card to use the next time). The promotion time is 2 weeks (2/14 – 3/1), also 20% off for buying any gift cards.
    I would like you to help me advertise for my business. Please contact me and i would love to meet you very soon.
    Have a great day,
    Tracy

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  2. Hi,
    I see that the comments on the board are quite dated. I’m reaching out to see if this group is still active?

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  3. Hello new and expecting mommas… my name Is Denise ODonnell and I am a postpartum doula… I am offering support for you and your new baby. You can visit my website at deniseodonnell.com for more information and reach me at 978-387-9651 for a free consultation… I look forward to hearing from you❤️

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