Mom's group connects local residents

Airdrie mother creates club to bring people together

When Jenn Pole moved to Airdrie almost two-and-a-half years ago she didn’t know many people here besides her husband David.

The young mom likes to keep active and said she was not sure which groups were available here or where she could go to make new friends.

That’s when Pole went online to meetup.com and joined a now defunct group for moms in Airdrie.

“All my good friends I’ve made through Meet Up,” she said.

When that group was deleted from the site, Pole created her own called Airdrie Moms.

Pole’s group has grown to 104 members, though not all get together at the same time.

Groups of between four to 10 moms get together about once a week and meet for coffee, go to the mall, or have a play date for the kids.

She said any member can suggest an activity or host a gathering.

“(Moms) don’t have to dress up. You can come in your sweatpants if you want,” said Pole of the casual non-judgmental style of the group.

Members go to meetings based on their schedules and don’t need to attend every event, said Pole who works part time and can’t be at every meeting her

The idea of Airdrie Moms is to get out in the community, meet some people and have fun, she said.

“It’s nice being surrounded by other moms and feeling like what you’re going through is normal,” she said of the group, adding it can be difficult for moms to just get out of the house, especially in the first year of your child’s life.

Pole, who sons are two and three years old, also said it’s nice to be able to ask other moms parenting questions and to discuss options with the ladies.

There is an approval process for new members but this is based on security and privacy issues.

Pole said the group posts locations and addresses of members who are hosting events on the website so they want to make sure the new member is appropriate for the women’s only gathering.

Pole said Airdrie Moms isn’t just for mom and baby events.

The group holds adult-only nights where the women gather for wine and cheese or visit a pub for wing night.

“There is something for everyone,” Pole said.

Members don’t always stay with the group because they have made a group of friends within Airdrie Moms and start getting together on their own, she added.

“It’s a good way to get out and meet people,” said Pole.

Airdrie Moms also has a Facebook page with more than 700 members.

The group page is geared to information sharing and acts as an open forum for moms to post questions about anything from, “Who’s a good hair cutter?” to “Does my two year old need another vaccination?” said Pole.

Pole said one of the reasons she stays with the group is, “Because mom needs a break too.”

Airdrie Moms next gathering is a parent-tot swim on Feb. 8 at Genesis Place.

For more information on the group, visit www.meetup.com/Airdrie-Moms/ or visit the Airdrie Moms Facebook page.

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