Forty years ago it would have been a brave thing indeed for an elderly person to acknowledge feelings of depression or isolation, let alone join a club for kindred spirits.
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But such was the birth of The Monday Club.
Long before our community was educated about the prevalence and impact of depression and the importance of support and understanding, this Lower Hunter community group was sharing the healing power of fun and laughter.
Monday Club president Kathy Pearson put it simply.
“We’re social creatures,” she said.
Ms Pearson has been a volunteer with the club for 15 years. She told the Mercury that these days the club welcomed people of all ages and all backgrounds, and she cemented this broad definition with an open invitation.
Anyone who would like to help the club mark 40 years in operation, or would like to be part of its activities on a regular basis, can come along to the Bruce Street Community Hall in East Maitland next Monday morning.
The Mercury hopes that people from all demographics come along and celebrate this remarkable club’s ethos and longevity.
In a world where neighbours can go months without speaking; where couples sit together in restaurants isolated in their own iDevices; where eye contact in an elevator is considered confrontational, it is important to make time to connect with others.
If you can’t make it to The Monday Club, make time to socialise some other way.
Grab coffee with a friend. Spend an afternoon with your child while your iPhone is locked away elsewhere.
Rediscover what The Monday Club crew already knows. It feels good to chat, laugh and be human.
