November 21, 2009
What's Inside:
The gift of time
Mother’s Day lunch allows mother/daughter bonding
Mother’s Day lunch allows mother/daughter bonding
Tabitha Nichols and her daughter, Kayla, were hunched over their table at the InterServ Wesley Center. Ms. Nichols watched as Kayla intently painted pink and green lines on the wood frame in front of her.
“That’s pretty, Sissy,” Ms. Nichols told Kayla.
Around them, other mother-daughter pairs were doing the same thing, just one of the activities during the Together Aware Girls (TAG) Mother’s Day luncheon, held the day before Mother’s Day. For the mothers, many who are working single parents, it was a chance for some much-needed one-on-one time with their daughters.
“I was excited, because I have to work tomorrow all day,” said Angel Pompa, “so this is the only thing I get to do with her. This is like the real Mother’s Day.”
It was the same for Ms. Nichols. With a full-time job and two other children at home, Ms. Nichols said Kayla sometimes has to fight with her brothers for their mom’s attention. At the luncheon, Kayla relished having her mom’s undivided attention.
“... just us getting together, it’s new,” Ms. Nichols said. “She’s been talking about it so long, I’m glad I took the day off (from work).”
The mothers not only got to spend time with their daughters, but they also got a glimpse at how their daughters see them and their mother-daughter relationship. As the girls took turns introducing their moms, they shared things about them like: “She’s beautiful inside and out,” “She’s my best friend” and “She’s always there for me.”
When it was time for Ms. Pompa’s daughter, Sephra, to introduce her, she said “This is my mom, Angel, and I’ve seen her go through a lot, and she still stands strong, and I look up to her.”
It’s a sentiment Ms. Pompa doesn’t often hear, and one she cherished.
“I almost cried,” she said. “... I try my hardest, and I hope (my kids) learn from me and learn what I instill in them. In this world, you don’t know if your kids are listening, and this shows me they are.”
And it’s the best Mother’s Day gift she could ask for.
Lifestyles reporter Lacey Storer can be reached
at lstorer@npgco.com
This story has 3 comments. Click here to join in on the discussion.
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i don't know how ms. pompa kept from needing a box of tissues! this was a wonderful tribute and interserve does yeoman's labor in joetown.
I liked this article, but would like to know more about the organization (TAG), and how girls can get involved with it.
"sjgirl May 18, 2009 at 12:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I liked this article, but would like to know more about the organization (TAG), and how girls can get involved with it."
TAG is a girls group designed to help girls in grades 3 through 8 to develop appropriate social and academic skills with the ultimate goal of finishing school and living healthy, happy, and productive adult lives. Girls can get involved in TAG by coming to InterServ's Wesley Center at 200 Cherokee any week day after school.
InterServ's Wesley Center is home to InterServ's youth recreation programs, includingWesley Weightlifters (home to 2 Olympic weightlifters and coached by the 2008 Women's Weightlifting coach at Beijing), Thursday and Friday night youth dances, after school recreation program. Currently, InterServ Wesley staff is working on the Summer Youth Recreation program and Summer Jam and Summer Spike and preparing for SKY Basketball! Everyone is welcome to participate in our programs.
For more information about Summer Jam/Summer Spike, SKY Basketball, the Summer Rec program, TAG or other activities for school age or high school youth, call InterServ Wesley Center, 238.4511, or stop by 200 Cherokee and see what we have to offer.
Thanks to the support of our community, InterServ celebrates its 100th anniversary of providing services to people in St. Joseph this year. We look forward to the next 100 years of serving you!