It may not have been a typical membership year, but 2020-2021 was still a memorable one!

Playdates were not a large focus at the start of the term, due to the pandemic, but they picked up throughout the year, with locations including local playgrounds and splash pads, trips to the Orlando area for the Orlando Science Center, Bithlo Community Center, and Leu Gardens, down to Vero Beach for the McKee Gardens and LaPorte Farms, and the club even tried an evening ice cream playdate and a weekend bowling playdate this year.

Moms’ Days/Nights Out had something to offer everyone this past year, including virtual opportunities to chat, dig up treasures inside your home, and mix cocktails, as well as locations around town, including lunch out, and a yoga & beer morning. The group also tried out wine glass painting and a workshop at Co/Create, and had their third annual Food & Wine Festival day at EPCOT. That was only the first of three visits to Disney property this year, as the club also tried out a visit to the Festival of the Arts and a resort day where they took part in Sangria University.

Family Events looked a little different this year, with the club opting not to host their traditional Back-to-School Bash or Winter Holiday Picnic, but instead held a socially-distanced Trunk-or-Treat that brought out 19 families! A weekend camping trip was also in the cards this year, which is an event that the club held annually years ago. Due to scheduling, weather, and sudden changes to family availability, it wasn’t a huge turnout but a good time was still had by those who were able to make it. The Spring Picnic with minimal interaction (think: egg hunt by groups, take-home snack and craft) was able to take place and brought out 14 families, and 10 also came out to take part in a group 1K to raise awareness of Multiple Birth families.

Special Events were a little light this year, with a virtual Recognition and Installation ceremony, a virtual contingent attending the 2020 state convention, and 14 MoMs attending a minimally-touched-gifts-exchange evening. The Dads did a Hollywood Studios day, as well as a liquor tasting at a local restaurant. The Club turned 38 years old in May, and although the recruitment event brought no new faces, those attending enjoyed a fun afternoon of playground and cupcakes. One new special event was coordinated with one of the group’s local partners, Allison Leigh Photography, and members signed-up to participate in photography mini-sessions – the images were fantastic!

There were 10 planning meetings, all but two of which were fully virtual, and the others were a hybrid held at another partner, Droplit.

The General Meetings this year ranged from games like Trivia and playing Never Have I Ever to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House to educational like a Marriage & Family Therapist speaker, a panel featuring Speech & Occupational Therapists, and a roundtable where members could ask and share about their experiences educating multiples. There was also a night to create Love Notes and one making air plants for your fridge to celebrate Earth Day. Perhaps the biggest hit of all, though, was the parking lot Dessert & Dish to catch-up after a crazy summer.

In addition to events, the club also had some other projects going on! They created a Family Fun folder to access on Facebook, which is a collaborative effort to share resources. They also got an Amazon Smile account going, so anyone can have a portion of their eligible Amazon purchases go toward the club, and it received $13.40 in the first year. The annual online holiday shopping fundraiser brought in $507.50, which was donated to the Brevard Zoo, and the aforementioned Never Have I Ever fundraiser brought in $530 as well. The club also brought back its virtual Spirit Week for a second year, and a new compilation of parenting resources that can be accessed through the Facebook group is getting added to as well. The club also tried a Secret Santa-esque Mother’s Day gift exchange, which was reviewed highly by those who participated.

Congratulations, Space Coast Mothers of Multiples, on a great year!