Order up a cup of intelligent, high-energy do-it-all and then
some, CEO of her own business with a shot of three kids, top it
with a hard-working professional husband
– and make that to go – and you have a South County Mocha
Mom.
Order up a cup of intelligent, high-energy do-it-all and then some, CEO of her own business with a shot of three kids, top it with a hard-working professional husband – and make that to go – and you have a South County Mocha Mom. After seeing the organization on the Oprah Winfrey Show, a few South County women of color decided to start a local Mocha Mom’s chapter. Going on four years now, the chapter’s membership has grown to 20 members with an estimated 30 affiliates, in addition to a whole lotta kids and husbands happy because their wives are happy. Stephanie Wemusa was instrumental in the chapter’s formation and served as a past president. ***Jennifer Mitchell is currently the Gilroy chapter president heading a group of moms who find camaraderie in the dubious job of child rearing.
Last Saturday morning, gathered between two houses on Valley Oaks Drive in Gilroy, the Gilroy chapter of Mocha Moms set out to sell, sell and sell during a monster of a garage sale to raise funds for Katrina Relief. The event was a good reason to share a beautiful Northern California fall morning together for the 10-plus families who participated in the fundraising effort. The energy and fun drew a constant flow of buyers and browsers to the stacks, racks and piles of items donated by chapter members. Chrys Diskowski, a friend of Stephanie’s from Las Madres, conferred with Dionne Morgan on children’s clothes sizes buying her fair share of items in support of the effort.
Antoinette Price arrived just in time to display her goods on Dionne’s driveway for the ever-increasing crowd. Price has that look of a woman who does a laundry list of activities all with a charming smile. No wonder NASA hired her to their marketing department. Price is also a 2004 Leadership Gilroy graduate, recruited by 2002 graduate Wemusa. During Price’s time in leadership, her class raised a record $15,000 toward a Bonfante Science program for kids.
Gilroy Mocha Moms have already begun supporting a displaced family from Louisiana and continue to look for ways to raise funds for this ongoing effort. As when finishing a good cup of coffee, I left the Mocha Moms feeling energized with a promise from the group to invite me to their next party. I’m sure they put as much effort into fun as they do to their worthy work.
Ciao for now.
