By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m., a group of friends bonded by friendships through love and/or blood meet at Jack’s in Columbiana for a biscuit and cup of coffee.

They call themselves “The Thursday Morning Biscuit Club.”

The club began a couple of years ago when sisters Gayle Hand Folmar Austin and Latrelle Hand Anderson met weekly to visit their late sister Ferrol Hand Smith, who lived in a nursing home.

Nephew Roger Hand ate at Jack’s every day on his way to the gym.

“One day I asked Latrelle, ‘Why don’t we meet early and have a biscuit with Roger,’” said Austin.

The sisters met with Hand, joined by Latrelle’s husband Frederick. Soon others came: friends Patsy Ellis, Connie Bentley, Howard Brasher and first cousins, Brenda Holcombe and Yvonne Davis.

The group continued to grow so much that they decided to give themselves a name, naturally, “The Thursday Morning Biscuit Club.”

Austin was named president and Ellis became administrator of the “official” Facebook page, “The Thursday Morning Biscuit Group,” which is a closed group for members only.

Every Thursday at 8:30 a.m., Hand, a Baptist preacher, opens with prayer.

The world problems are not solved, but lots of personal stories with tons of laughter can be heard.

Austin is the official jelly opener since many hands have arthritis. Others known to eat a biscuit are Damon Folmar, Ruth Lenn Lambert, Nancy Moore, Joey Green, Susan Wright, Tara Littlefield Folmar, Michael Eugene Woodruff, Sharlene Hand, Melissa Vaughn Holcombe, Tammy Davis Hayes, Anne Thomas, Sheryll Anderson Hill, Kristy Franklin, Melissa Srygley Green and Skylar Scarbrough.

Recently the topic of conversation was the Shelbiana 1941-1942 yearbook of Shelby County High School.

Several biscuit members were in the yearbook. Photos were shared and times of days gone by were heard amidst the laughter.

The group also reminisced about their New Year’s Eve party at Austin’s home, which was well attended as well as their historical trips to Selma and Mt. Cheaha State Park.

The Thursday Morning Biscuit Club is definitely non-exclusive.

Come Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. at Jack’s, have a biscuit and join the laugher.