Kacy Ogawa likens her parents’ club to a small start-up company. It’s only two years old and is entirely locally run, unlike some of the large national parents’ networks in the area. But Ogawa says that when it comes to responding quickly to the needs of its members, the group – known as Awesome Moms of the South Bay – is awesome. The former high-tech professional and mom of two tells us why this new group is developing such a following in Silicon Valley. 

What is the purpose of your parents’ group? 

The purpose is two-fold: to give moms an opportunity to have fun with their children and to meet new friends within their community.

Who started the group and who is involved now?

The founder was a mom who relocated from Seattle to Santa Clara in August 2007. We since have grown to 100-plus members and are led by a team of six moms who reside in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Campbell. 

What are the benefits and costs of membership?

Membership is free. Benefits include three to four weekly playdates at parks or private homes, including arts and crafts, sports events and potlucks. We also have exclusive playdates at public venues like California Kids Sports Center and Pump It Up Jr., monthly Mom’s Night Out, holiday parties, day trips and on-line forums on parenting and non-parenting topics. 

Being a locally-run organization comes with additional benefits. Our culture has been shaped by our lead moms and our members, and we can quickly tailor our events, create sub-groups and post important bulletins to support our moms as needed. We require our moms to participate in an event within 60 days of joining. And we encourage our members to remain active both online and in-person to benefit most from our organization.

What do you enjoy most about the group? 

Our strong sense of community. Each of us is passionate about her family and supports the diversity of other members both personally and professionally. Because our members are from diverse backgrounds and speak many languages, my favorite moments are when I hear our children talking with each other in English and their mothers using words from their native languages.

How can a new member join? 

Register and access our calendar at bigtent.com/groups/amsb. Responses to membership inquiries will come from service-bounces@bigtent.com. (Check your spam file.) Questions? e-mail amsb_inquiries@yahoo.com.

Angela Geiser is the calendar editor of Bay Area Parent.