Zionsville Moms Group has a message for local moms — you’re not alone.
The group focuses on connections for local moms and their children, but also helps cultivate friendships among women who might not have met otherwise.
ZMG has 142 active members and focused on outreach over the past year, hosting events open to the community or where members can bring guests. Members are involved in a campaign to attract new members to share activities, friendships and support and socialization for Zionsvillle youth.
“A lot of people don’t know about it or don’t know it’s an option,” board member Andrea Worthington said. “A lot of people might also confuse us with a Facebook group or a church group. We just want it to be very clear what we are. We do meet in real life and you don’t have to be a member of a church or another (organization) to be part of our group. We want to get that message out there.”
The group started around 15 years ago with a small group of women who had met in church. It quickly expanded outside of church-related activities and became a community-wide group. Much of the growth happened organically, through word-of-mouth.
ZMG now has an organizational structure — there is a board of 14 moms on the executive committee and several subcommittees that oversee and organize events such as book club, wellness activities, moms’ night out, member support, house parties, play groups, kids events and family parties. There are also private Facebook groups and a marketplace where members can connect online.
Board member April Martin said she heard about the group at the library after moving to Zionsville in 2018.
“In the past year, we’ve done a better job in creating social media accounts, a business account, we have more street signs out now and we’re doing more flyers and outreach, just so people hear more about us,” Martin said. “We’re really trying to meet people’s needs.”
Committee member Brittany Nelson said the group offers important social connections for children and moms.
“When I found it, it was right after my first was born and I didn’t know many other women in Zionsville with kids,” Nelson said. “Most of my friends were spread out in Indy or just didn’t have kids yet. So, I just Googled a moms group and this popped up. I think that’s how most people find out about it or they just hear about it from friends or they hear about it on (social media).”
Committee member Bethany Morningstar said the group offers options for moms who want to meet other moms, so women who are intimidated by meeting in-person have options such as family parties, library meet-ups and other events in public spaces.
“A lot of people aren’t from this area. I’m not from here originally,” Morningstar said. “When you move with kids, it can be kind of isolating. This gives people an outlet. For me, it was definitely just the connections and it’s another avenue to meet people in the community that I wouldn’t have.”
The group is considered a “community social group” and while they do not make a profit, they don’t have nonprofit status. Leadership positions are 100 percent volunteer.
“The money that we bring in, we spend on ourselves, and we keep a small reserve,” Worthington said.
Membership is $50 annually and members go through an informal interview prior to being accepted to make sure they live in the area and are joining for the right reasons.
That said, there isn’t any “right” reason to join. Membership is flexible and members participate as much or as little as they want. Dates for events are already chosen and moms can attend at their leisure. Leadership sees the group as a foundation for a great support system.
Members also engage in charity work and fundraising to benefit Seeds of Caring, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that offers service projects for children, empowering kids to make a difference in their communities through service, social action and community-building projects.
ZMG also partners regularly with Zionsville Parks & Recreation for activities and events.
Members said all moms can benefit from ZMG.
“Depending on where you’re at in that stage of parenting, it’s just having that extra support,” Nelson said. “There are always people who are going through a similar thing as you are. For the little ones, it could be their first friends. I’ve met some of my closest friends from this area in this group.”
ZIONSVILLE MOMS GROUP OCTOBER EVENT
Zionsville Moms Group is a kid-centered group for women that plans regular activities focusing on children, socialization and development, such as playgroups, open gyms, park play dates, holiday parties and events.
The group also focuses on the moms themselves and their needs for socialization, developing friendships and having some kid-free time.
The $50 membership fee includes access to book clubs, house parties, wellness events and moms’ night out.
“I get with the rest of these ladies and I see they are all going through the same things I am,” said member Brittany Nelson. “I feel like that has been huge — it’s part of my social life.”
ZMG will host a free event for moms — Movies & Margaritas in the Moonlight — from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 5 in Zionsville. The event is part of the group’s outreach efforts to meet more members of the community and celebrate their recent participation in the Fall Festival Parade, where ZMG’s entry won the President’s Choice Award.
For details and to RSVP to Movies & Margaritas in the Moonlight, visit zionsvillemomsgroup.wildapricot.org.
