Madison County Extension Homemakers have struggled with isolation and lack of networking throughout the pandemic, due to the numerous closures and restricted meetings.  Some members of our clubs and the Homemaker Board noted in their conversations, that something they missed the most about not seeing their club members, aside from their trades and crafts, was the social interaction and engagement with one another.  Due to parameters set on account of the COVID pandemic, we initiated a "Happy Hour" via Zoom and invited any and all homemakers to attend.  I, along with my FCS assistant, host  Happy Hour each Monday for around an hour, sometimes longer if needed.

In the beginning attendance was slow, which was expected at first, knowing their reluctance to transfer to online and virtual programming.  Soon, word of mouth traveled and the online club has started to grow.  Homemakers who attend enjoy having a weekly meeting, where they can discuss anything and everything.  They have met new people, learned about each other, shared news, brainstormed new ideas for clubs, and created new relationships with other homemakers that they otherwise might not have come to know.  The club gives the homemakers a renewed sense of belonging and members have noted that is has lifted their mental health, after they have spent that time together.  The group is now consistently around 8-10 members each week, and they are always looking for ways to invite and encourage others to join.  Many people in the homemaker groups identify with having struggled with technology in the past, but Happy Hour has allowed them to learn the Zoom app as well as become more familiar with their technology as a whole.  It has given them more freedom in using their technology as they are starting to branch out and use it in other ways on their own as well now, such as for family gatherings, and not just for Homemaker meetings.