SPOTLIGHT NWA MOTHERLODE

Friends team up to help moms find Motherlode

Correction: The name of Brieshi Salon and Spa Glam Squad was incorrect in this article.

SPRINGDALE - Whether on the iPad, phone, Facebook or radio, while working from home or waiting on their kids, mothers all over the region are checking Northwest Arkansas Motherlode regularly.

It’s a regional online magazine with commentary, resources and a business directory that is helpful to mothers no matter what stage of parenting they’re in.

It began in 2008 when co-workers and friends Shannon Magsam and Gwen Rockwood realized that Northwest Arkansas didn’t have a one-stop shop for mothers.

“It combined all the things we love,” Magsam says. “The writing, helping companies connect with moms and moms with each other, and that is a huge deal.”

It’s eye-opening for locals, but is so comprehensive that it helps people from the ground up.

“There are so many people moving into the area and they need to meet people and find businesses when they get here,” Magsam says.

“Moms rely on those websites,” says Rockwood, author of Reporting Live From the Laundry Pile. “We’re busy. We can’t drive everywhere because we’rebusy driving the kids everywhere. So it’s nice to be able to look this up while we’re in the doctor’s office waiting room and move about our day.”

Former reporters and public relations specialists, they stuck to frequent publishing by creating and uploading new information to their site daily. They roped in other writers and were glad to provide a safe place for moms to relate.

As it expanded, they enlisted the help of a few men to write anonymous segments giving insight in-to the male thought process, a segment they call “Inside His Head,” and a column by a local minister who writes spiritual content for women.

They even began a brief, local talk segment on KEZA-FM, 107.9 while women are taking their children to school, and formed a business directory to link newcomers of the area to the places that they could trust.

It’s hard to say when the resource became a close-knit community, but it’s a trusted one.

Last year marked the fifth anniversary of NWA Motherlode, and to celebrate the successful connections and friendships made, they put on Arkansas’ first Mom Prom.

The second annual Mom Prom will celebrate hard-working mothers and women of all ages in Northwest Arkansas by giving them a night out on the town to dress up, be pampered, win prizes and connect with other moms, sometimes old friends, and others they’ve gotten acquainted with online.

Proceeds benefit Laundry Love, a nonprofit that is an initiative of The Cobblestone Project that provides quarters, laundry detergent, food, company and children’s activities for families who may not be able to afford to wash clothes that week.

“There are so many children [affected] when their parents don’t have enough money to get their clothes clean,” Rockwood says. “They have to go to school in dirty or smelly clothes, and no mother wants to [do that]. It’s a dignity issue.”

Magsam and Rockwood say they chose Laundry Love as the beneficiary because it didn’t have a signature fundraiser or even much publicity. The issue is near to their hearts because all moms can connect over that daily labor.

“As moms, we felt a great deal of compassion for that situation and it gave us some perspective on daily laundry,” Rockwood says. “We have a lot of laundry to do, but we have a room to go do it in.”

“Moms just tend to complain about laundry,” Magsam says. “It never ends, if it’s not all done, it’s not put away, so yeah. It definitely puts thingsin perspective for us.”

This year’s Mom Prom, which takes place Saturday at the Springdale Holiday Inn, is for women only. The only men admitted to the event are celebrity cardboard cutouts of Bruno Mars, Usher, Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake and - back by popular demand - Channing Tatum. A shoe bank and guard will be provided so ladies can dance the night away blister-free. Those who prefer to sit and chat are invited to a lounge, sponsored by Theraderm, where they can receive hand massages, beauty treatments and try new products.

The chic evening is designed to make moms feel like celebrities. Professional services by the Brioche Glam Squad and pictures by Lisa Mac Photography will add to that effect.

Dinner and a dessert bar made of Ghirardelli chocolates, chocolate-dipped strawberries and Savoy cupcakes will be provided.

Those who know Motherlode to be a great place for giveaways have a lot to look forward to. A raffle that costs $2 per ticket includes items for beauty pampering, salonand spa services, jewelry, baby items, family photography sessions and date night packages. Most baskets are valued between $300 and $500. King among them is a new, high-end washer and dryer set from Metro Appliances & More. The business, which has been involved with Motherlode from the start, is hoping to help the Laundry Love cause while also celebrating its 40th anniversary. Each attendee will receive aswag bag of items from Pinnacle Hills Mall businesses and will be offered a special rate on rooms and breakfast at the Holiday Inn, in case the party turns into a sleepover.

A prom queen will be selected at random and awarded with a $500 First Security Visa card, a sash, and will be crowned by reigning queen Marie Starr.

For more information on this event, see nwamomprom.com or call (479) 409-8242.

Northwest Profile, Pages 33 on 04/20/2014

Upcoming Events