By MOLLIE BROWN / Community Columnist

I’ve heard of old hens and spring chickens, but never sister chicks until I joined them at Shirley Coggins’ home for lunch and a friendly game of Bunco.

Sister Chicks, a group of ladies who live in Shelby County communities, flock together twice a month for food, fun and fellowship.

There is no pecking order other than President Shirley Hogg, whom they affectionately call “Mother Hen.” The group once participated in The Red Hat Society, where she served as queen mother. Hogg said the Red Hatters didn’t fit the need of their sisterhood.

“About eight or nine years ago, we formed a Red Hatters chapter,” Hogg said. “We wore the red hats and purple dresses and went to several conventions, but we just like getting together so we decided to form our own group. Betty Lewis came up with Sister Chicks and my title, Mother Hen.”

Hogg’s brood of ladies range in personality and age — 30s to 70s.

The group is not connected to a particular denomination, though many of them attend church together and the community Bible study at the First Baptist Church of Columbiana. Some are widows who enjoy the opportunity of getting out of the house, some are housewives and some have careers.

Sister Chick Norma Loftin said they all meet the first Thursday of every month for fellowship at “a nice place to eat” and the last Wednesday 12 of them meet to play Bunco. She chuckled as she said, “We eat then too, snack at Monday morning Bible study and sometimes go to lunch afterwards, so we’re also the fat chicks. We love to meet and eat!”

In addition to meeting and eating, they visit nursing homes, have made baskets for the Shelby Cancer Care Center and performed community service projects.

Other members are: Pauline Ellison, Donna Chandler, Karen Simmons, Mary Miles, Rose Marie Hartley, Lemoyne Glasgow, Beth Carney, Denna Holsombeck, Audrey Veazey, Lois Blair, Peggy Crowson, Shirley Baker, Jackie Gober, Janice Atchison, Jimmy Ruth Watts, Carolyn Armstrong, Judy Franks and Johnnie Nix.

Hogg said forming the Red Hatters chapter, The Concord Grapes, is how she found friends when she moved to Calera 10 years ago.

“The main thing is we’re a group of ladies who enjoy fun and fellowship,” she said. “We extend an invitation to other ladies who desire the same to join us.”

Hogg can be reached at 668-4526 or boonehogg@bellsouth.net.

 

Mollie Brown can be reached at dmjhb1@bellsouth.net.