FOUNDER'S
STATEMENT
The Chelmsford
Mothers' Club: Our
Philosophy
We founded the
Chelmsford
Mothers’ Club to
satisfy needs of all
young families. We
felt strongly that
moms needed a way to
ease the transitions
we face while
raising infants and
young children. We
agreed that there
was a need for a
support network that
provided a means for
mothers to share
their experiences,
socialize, find
companionship,
receive information
on parenting and
child development,
and provide an
outlet for personal
growth.
Our club
philosophy comes
from both our
personal views and
from the Mothers
Club , handbook by
Katie Williams
Hoepke. The
Mothers’ Club is
first and foremost a
community. It is a
community of young
families, sharing
common interests and
goals. We feel it is
important that each
member who joins the
club feel
comfortable with
this ideal. It is
important to
understand that the
club is a
cooperative effort.
In order for the
club to be
successful it
requires member
involvement. For all
the opportunities
created, it will
involve commitment.
As Dr. M. Scott Peck
stated: “Out of
the strength of your
community you will
be able to do things
you never thought
you were capable
of.” We feel
the Chelmsford
Mothers’ Club has
the ability to do
whatever its members
need to build a
happier, healthier,
and better tomorrow
for our families.
Many moms will
agree that the first
few years of
motherhood can be
isolating. We begin
to question our
purpose when our
daily routine
becomes so mundane.
Many days go by
without leaving the
house. We lose touch
with old friends.
Whether we continue
to work outside the
home or not, we
experience a drastic
change. “The net
result can be
isolation and a
nagging need for
intimacy”, says
Katie. This we have
experienced first
hand and we know it
to be true.
To alleviate this
dilemma, The
Chelmsford
Mothers’ Club
provides outlets for
our energies and
talents. We
encourage social
interaction through
various facets and
activities. There
are many ways one
can get involved,
use their creativity
and feel productive
while making the
lives of our next
generation better.
Katie Hoepke
expresses out
philosophy well in
this next paragraph.
“Not only does
the club provide the
opportunity for
personal expression,
it holds your hand
while you’re doing
it. Imagine 40-50
women in a huddle,
arms entwined,
strengthening each
other. It’s one of
the first feelings
manifested in the
club, ‘I’m not
alone.’ To
engender that
feeling, the
philosophy of the
club must be
inclusive. It must
allow space for each
individual to
discover for herself
what the club can
offer her and what
she can contribute
to the club. We
don’t think the
club will thrive if
women are expedited
to fit into a
narrowly defined
role as member. In
our club we say
‘Take from the
club what you need
and put back what
you can.’ We
don’t make rules
for attendance or
minimal duties
required for
membership. We
believe that with
encouragement and
choice, each woman
will be nurtured by
what the Mothers’
Club has to offer.
Especially in the
beginning, women
will need to find
that the club is a
safe place. A place
where they won’t
be judged or
compared, but
encouraged to
participate at
whatever level they
choose for
themselves.”
It is our hope
that you find the
Chelmsford
Mothers’ Club a
nurturing
environment. We
appreciate your
ideas and
suggestions and we
encourage
participation. This
is your club, as a
member you have the
power to make things
happen. We hope you
will find the
Chelmsford
Mothers’ Club a
safe, secure place
and a fun place to
be.
Sincerely,
Debbie Dellanina-Alvarez
and Lisa Horan-Sokol
(Club
founders—1996)
Notes:
Katie Williams
Hoepke, Mothers
Club, Ark Press
1989, pp 12-15
M. Scott Peck, The
Different Drum,
copyright 1987 by M.
Scott Peck, MD, PC
Reprinted by
permission of Simon
and Schuster, Inc.,
pp 328-329
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