MOTHERS WHO CHOOSE to stay at home to raise their children still work a full time job. In fact, at-home mothers are on the job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Many are experts at multi-tasking - supervising children, handling finances, cooking meals, cleaning house, and volunteering or otherwise involving themselves in the community. Add to this the fact that many at-home mothers run home-based businesses or work part-time, and it is easy to see how they can become overwhelmed. A support network of other mothers who understand the challenges is crucial, but all too often, difficult to find.

Not so for mothers in the Middleburg area! A local chapter of the International MOMS Club (Moms Offering Moms Support) has been started. The purpose of MOMS Club is to provide that necessary support for at-home mothers. MOMS Club provides many activities for the children, such as play dates and park days, field trips, and holiday events but is primarily concerned with offering opportunities for the mothers. The club will sponsor speakers on topics of relevance to women. Mothers will be able to find other women who want to discuss books, crafts, gardening, etc. and there will be Mom's Night Out for that well-deserved break.

Also, MOMS Club is dedicated to making our community a better place. MOMS Club will be actively involved with service projects that help needy children.

Membership in the MOMS Club of Middleburg is open to all full-time or part-time stay at home mothers in Middleburg and the surrounding areas (including Aldie, Upperville, Delaplane, The Plains and Marshall). The MOMS Club of Middleburg meets on the first Wednesday of each month from 10:00-11:00 am at the Middleburg Community Center and, of course, children are welcomed at all events.

For more information on this wonderful opportunity for mothers, please contact Leslie Cox at lesliejlong@hotmail.com.