November Meeting: Birth Story Catch-up and Toy Trade

NOVEMBER MEETING: BIRTH STORY CATCH-UP, AND TOY TRADE

Wednesday, November 19th from 7:00 to 8:30pm
Athens library
For our last meeting of 2008, we will catch up on Birth Stories (which we haven't shared since July!), and have a holiday toy trade. Bring a toy that your child has grown out of, and exchange it for something new to your family. If there's time left over we'll share tips on "Surviving the Holidays."



SCRAPBOOK FOR BRANDI

There is still time to make a scrapbook page for Brandi, to let her know what she has meant to you and your family. I will bring blank pages and supplies to the November meeting, so all you need are some pics of your family, a birth story, some words of thanks! Or, if you prefer to make one on your own time, just email me and we'll arrange a pick-up.



COOKBOOK 

We still need submissions for the Birth Circle recipe book. Please send your inquiries or submissions to Timi at timisingley@yahoo.com.



MEALS FOR MOMS 

Our Meals for Moms program is also looking for volunteers and participants to receive meals. Contact Hanna Vorisek at hannavorisek@yahoo.com.

ONLINE FORUM
The Birth Circle is now offering an online discussion forum so the conversations and birth stories can continue after our meetings! If you would like to subscribe to this forum simply send an email to: AthensBC-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. If you have any problems with the subscription contact Tamara at tamaravk@gmail.com.


PLAYGROUP THIS THURSDAY

The new Birth Circle playgroup will meet for the first time this Thursday, the 6th, from 3:00 to 5:00pm in the kids' section of the Athens library. All ages are welcome!

This is a great chance for both children and parents to make new friends. The group will meet on the first and last Thursday of each month (due to the holidays we will only meet once in November and once in December, on the first Thursdays), for two hours of play, socializing, and support. For more information contact the playgroup coordinator, Cassandra Waller: 740-707-2519, cassmee@yahoo.com.

New Birth Circle Playgroup

We are very excited to announce the NEW BIRTH CIRCLE PLAYGROUP! Thanks to coordinator Cassie Waller, the Athens Birth Circle playgroup is back. This is a great chance for both children and parents to make new friends. The group will meet twice a month, for two hours of play, socializing, and support. The details are as follows:

All ages are welcome

1st and last Thursday of each month 

It begins November 6th at Athens Public Library (kids section)

3pm-5pm 

Due to the holidays we will only meet once in November and once in December, on the first Thursday

For more information, contact the playgroup coordinator, Cassandra Waller (740) 707-2519 or email her, cassmee@yahoo.com

Thank you to everyone who came for Brandi's farewell party!

Last night was such a great event at the community center to honor Brandi Holloway and her departure from the Athens Birth Circle.  The food was top notch and atmosphere so much of what the Birth Circle is about--community, sharing, warmth, and support. Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate and honor Brandi and thank you to those who shared experiences about Brandi and the Birth Circle.

We are excited to have Molly Wales as the new executive director and leading the Birth Circle

Farewell Party for Brandi Holloway

This Sunday, October 26, if our farewell party for Brandi Holloway, the Birth Circle's co-founder and long-time director who left the Birth Circle this fall. The party will be held from 

5-7 p.m. at the Athens Community Center, in a room that opens onto the playground.

Please bring a potluck dish to share (and label to go with it, if possible) and a place setting for your family. Beverages will be provided. After the potluck, we will have a sharing circle about what Brandi and the Birth Circle have meant to you. We also want to give Brandi a scrapbook with pages designed by Birth Circle families, so please either design a 12" by 12" page in advance, or bring your photos, birth stories, etc. to the party and decorate your page with supplies we provide. 

We hope you will join  us in honoring Brandi and celebrating the Athens Birth Circle.

September Events

Dear Friends,

Happy September.

Fall is just around the corner and I hope you are all fairing well with "back to school" season upon us! This email is lengthy (bear with me) but full of information about upcoming news including the yard sale, September program and news updates. Feel free to email with any questions and be sure to share the news with your friends!



September Meeting: Wed. September 24th from 7:00-8:30pm at the Athens Public Library.

The discussion topic will be, Healing from a Traumatic Birth Experience. This is a very important topic for so many of us and we invite you to join the circle to share or just to listen as we exchange ideas and offer encouragement and healing. Free and open to the public.



Thanks to our Evening Sponsor, Bella Bella Studio & Baby Boutique, which provides family portrait service (such as children, baby, family, couple, maternity photography) and quality baby products at reasonable prices. The products they carry include Thirsties, ImseVimse and Bummis cloth diapers, baby slings, baby soft sole shoes (such as Jack and Lily, Robeez and Pediped), toddler soft leather shoes including squeaky training shoes, wood and classic toys, baby everyday essentials such as Bundleme and Swaddleme, hip diaper bags, cute baby gifts, tutus, decors, hair bows, toddlers' rain gear and Burt's bees all natural baby skin care products. They also welcome custom order of baby products -- if there is something you want us to order for you we can try to do that and you would get 10% off regular price and free shipping. Their portrait service is based on private sessions, so you can relax and be yourself. They try to capture the naturally beautiful moments in
your life. The images can be delivered on
prints or as digital files. For more information, please see www.bellastudio.biz. They are located in the lane of first left turn after passing Athens Apartments, across from Wonder Hills, the last building in the lane.

Yardsale:
It's time for the annual Birth Circle/La Leche Leaque yard sale! We are 
currently seeking donations and volunteers for the sale, so we hope you can help. There have been a few changes this year, mostly because the sale has simply outgrown our yards/garages! This year, the yard sale will take place on Saturday, September 13th from 8 am - 4 pm and Sunday, September 14th from 9 am - 5 pm at the Junior Fair Building at the Athens County fairgrounds. We could use some more help on Sunday all day and also on Saturday morning from 8 - 10 am. Please contact Kerri Shaw at tl_kshaw@seovec.org if you are interested in volunteering. Contact Kerri Shaw at 707-4241 or tl_kshaw@seovec.org if you have questions! Thanks so much for all your donations and volunteering of time already. Please help us spread the word about this sale, especially the change in location.

Thank you!

Website updates: Our website is getting ready for a new look. We are soliciting birth stories (of all experiences) to share as part of the site. If you have a submission please send it to Molly at molly.wales@yahoo.com.



Cookbook/MFM: Our Meals for Moms program is also looking for volunteers and participants to receive meals. In addition, we need submissions for our recipe book. Please send your inquiries or submissions to Timi at timisingley@yahoo.com.



Thanks and we hope to see you this weekend at the yard sale!