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Moms' week out

Motherhood can be difficult at times, even under the best of circumstances. But single mothers are especially vulnerable to the strain of parenting children. Members of the all-female Kiwanis Club of Basel Merian, Switzerland, have a mission of compassion for single mothers and seek ways to offer them relief. Their
research resulted in a weeklong vacation for mothers and their children—a rare respite for women under a tremendous amount of stress.

“The mothers could forget their daily worries and chores and concentrate on their children,” says immediate past club president Brigitta Landolt. That’s quite a gift for a working single mother.

A relief organization helped select 13 mothers who could benefit from a vacation. Before the trip, the Kiwanians arranged an afternoon meeting in a local park so the mothers and children could meet and get to know one another. A parents meeting
soon followed to match the vacationers and their accommodations at a holiday facility in Bressaucourt, a city in northern Switzerland.

The moms and their kids rode a horse-drawn wagon, picnicked, and crafted paper made of cooked grass, which they gathered themselves. They played ballgames, went swimming, feasted on their favorite foods, and saw kittens born. The moms even enjoyed an afternoon all to themselves.

“The week’s holiday created good memories for the women and the children,” says Brigitta. “It was a satisfying and lasting service project for our next generation.”—Karen Pyle Trent