We’re excited to introduce to you this month’s group highlight, GaGa Sisterhood!
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Donne Davis of the GaGa Sisterhood about her group using BigTent and what’s new since we last spoke with her in 2009:
Q. How did your group start and how many members do you have?
A. In 2003 I witnessed the birth of my first grandchild and went completely “gaga!” When I came back down to earth, I realized two things: 1) most grandmas are crazy about their grandchildren; 2) being a grandma is complicated.
I was curious what other grandmas were experiencing and wanted to create an organization where we could explore what it means to be a grandma today. I called it the GaGa Sisterhood because we’re all “gaga” for our grandchildren. In December 2003 we had our first meeting and felt such a bond with each other as we talked about the joys and challenges of our role. We wanted to continue the conversation and have been meeting ever since.
Q. Why did your group choose/or switch to BigTent?
A. We have over 100 members and each one joined on a different date. The accounting was a nightmare until we joined Big Tent. The automated membership renewal reminders have streamlined our accounting and allowed me to work on more creative projects.
Q. What is your favorite BigTent feature?
A. Our members love Big Tent’s forum. Discussions run the gamut from grandchildren’s cute sayings to how to get a good night’s sleep. Many grandmas have connected for hikes, theater, and play dates with our grandchildren.
Q. When you’re not busy with your group what are you up to?
A. My daughter and I are offering a Mother-Daughter Retreat on June 11 at Stillheart Institute in Woodside, CA. We’re pairing up with yoga teacher Jackie Long for a daylong retreat to nurture the mother-daughter relationship.
My daughter and I have always valued our relationship and communication is an important part. Since she became a mom in 2003, we’ve spent a lot more time together and have had more opportunities to work on some of our issues. Learn more about the retreat here.
Q. What have you learned from the GaGa Sisterhood?
A. Grandmas have complicated lives and our emotions range from pure ecstasy to deep disappointment. They’re often based on our relationships with the parents of our grandchildren. Having a community of like-minded women to share our joys and frustrations with has been comforting and affirming. It proves to me that no matter what stage of life we’re in, we can form new friends based on the common bonds of shared experiences.
Thank you to Donne and the GaGa Sisterhood for sharing their story with us!
Cheers,
The BigTent Team
