Many young mothers are familiar with the Mothers of Preschoolers group in local churches.

However, children grow up, which means mothers also age out of the group when their youngest children turn 6.

One group of women in a local church decided to do something about it. Moms in Action, which meets at Wilroy Baptist Church but is open to the community, was formed for mothers of children of any age, group mentor Betty Sue Plewes said.

“We had been part of the MOPS organization for eight or nine years,” Plewes said.

At one point, a group of moms were about to have children age out of the program, but they wanted to keep the support system going.

That’s when they created Moms in Action. Some women in the group have been mothers for more than 40 years; others have just had their first child.

“They are such a great group of women,” Plewes said. “Some keep an extra car seat, and they’re on the list to pick up others’ children — they’re very, very supportive of one another.”

Plewes is one of the oldest mothers in the group — she is on her 11th grandchild. The group allows her to keep up with the issues young mothers are having so she can better support her children as they raise their own children, she said.

The group meets the first Wednesday of every month at 9:30 a.m. at Wilroy Baptist. The members bring food, share motherhood tips and stories, celebrate each others’ birthdays, pray for each other, do crafts and have a program on a motherhood topic. Babysitting is provided for each meeting.

In addition, the mothers schedule a play date once a month, and also have a “mothers’ night out” once a month, going to a restaurant or mystery dinner theater.

“They’re serious about being moms, but they like to have fun,” Plewes said.

Involving mothers of every age, Plewes said, means a greater support system for the mothers in the group.

Mothers of older children, Plewes said, can mentor those with younger children, while mothers of children about the same age can share experiences and ideas.

“It’s support for everyone,” Plewes said. “They’re there to answer questions.”

The group also encompasses mothers who have special challenges, such as single mothers, mothers of children with disabilities, and mothers who already have teenagers and then become mothers again. Even mothers whose children are grown continue to come to the group to baby sit, Plewes said.

“We’ve become such a close group,” she said.

There is a small fee to join to cover the costs of crafts, but scholarships are available, Plewes said. To get more information on becoming a member of the group, call 539-5658.