Moms give life support to first aid squad

Joel Swerdel called local moms lifesavers for the Millstone Township First Aid Squad.

The squad president said the $1,100 donation from the Moms Offering Moms Support (MOMS) Club of Millstone would go toward creating pediatric jump kits, which are bags of age- and size-appropriate medical equipment used during calls involving infants and small children.

“They’re the best,” Swerdel said of MOMS Club members. “Donations have been tight this year because of the economy. Organizations like this are just lifesavers for us. We can’t do our jobs without a community like this. With this donation we’ll be able to our jobs even better.”

As a thank you for the donation, First Aid Squad Vice President Nancy Parmegiani will teach MOMS Club members CPR and other basic lifesaving skills.

“We prefer as many people as possible to know CPR and first aid,” Parmegiani said.W

hen moms know basic first aid, they can stay calm in an emergency and possibly save their child’s life before medics arrive, Parmegiani said.

Community service is just one aspect of the MOMS Club of Millstone, which is the local chapter of an international nonprofit organization offering stay-at-home and part-time working mothers support and opportunities to share experiences with other Millstone and Roosevelt moms and their children.

MOMS Club offers members a wide range of low- and no-cost activities each month. Activities for children include play dates at the park, day trips to museums and amusement parks, and seasonal outings to fairs and farms. Activities for moms include dinners out, movie nights, spa visits, walks and book clubs.

Many of the current 60 members said they joined the MOMS Club to get to know Millstone and those who live in the community better. Their children benefit from socializing with others that they will eventually attend school with.

“This is a great group of women and great group of kids,” Beth Cotler, who served as president for the past two years, said. With no relatives who live nearby, Cynthia Bailey said she joined the club for its network of support.

“I’ve made such great friends,” she said.

Club members volunteer extra support to mothers with newborns, as well as those with illness or death in the family, by providing babysitting, cooking and shopping services to those in need. During monthly meetings and via emails when they’re not together, mothers discuss pediatricians and other child-related services in the area. They also share child-rearing information, such as potty-training and discipline

tips.

Noting that mothers can feel alone with issues related to their children, Sonia Guarda said the MOMS Club helps them realize that many others share the same maternal experiences.

“It’s a lot easier to have somebody who understands what you’re going through,” Guarda said.

A four-year member, Amy Jacobsen said she likes that the group has become more civic minded as it evolves.

For the past two years, members have come up with charitable ways of giving back to the community. Last year, members raised funds to donate to the Millstone Township Fire Department. This year, they contributed to the First Aid Squad.

Cotler said the fundraising projects help teach children about community service.

“It’s important for them to go to the firehouse and first aid squad and see the trucks and meet the people in the community that help us every day,” she said.

When accepting the donation from the club, Swerdel mentioned that the squad needs more volunteers.

“We’re always looking for new members,” he said. “The town is growing and membership has stayed at a steady level. We especially need people who have daytime availability.”

The MOMS Club recently reorganized with the following members serving as officers for the year: Chris Baczkowski, president; Cynthia Bailey, administrative vice president; Colleen Italiano, vice president of membership; Sonia Guarda, treasurer; and Wendy Litten, secretary. Melanie Sullivan will be in charge of public relations, and Zahra Martinez will maintain the website.

For more information about MOMS Club and the next monthly meeting, visit www.millstone.nj.us/MomsClub.html.

For more information about volunteering or contributing to the First Aid Squad, visit www.millstonetwpfas.org.