It started in 2010 when Remy Cook graduated from Dickinson College and returned home to Greenwich. He escorted his mother Anne Martine Cook to a beach-themed fundraiser at Putnam Indian Field School, where she has taught for 37 years.
Making light of escorting his mom to the fundraiser, Cook put together a t-shirt that said "Party With Moms" in bright pink letters.”
“At the fundraiser a bunch of moms loved the t-shirt and asked for their own,” said Cook. Working with local vendor ASF Promotions, Cook filled the requests as well as subsequent ones, sending them into the nursery school via his mom.
Asked why he thinks his shirt strikes a chord, Cook said matter-of-factly, “Sometimes moms forget how they like to go out and have fun with their friends.”
This observation brings a smile to any exhausted mom’s face. And therein lies Cook’s charm. Plus, he actually gets along really well with his mother.
And, like other good slogans, “Party With Moms,” is versatile. It’s a noun. It’s a verb. It’s a theme. It's a clothing line.
According to Cook, whether it’s at the beach or the grocery store, the t-shirt is an icebreaker. “In the summer when we visit Block Island. Also, when I went to Miami, and even in Italy, strangers would come up to me to ask about my t-shirt.”
Cook also made the observation that since social media exploded, he thinks moms have a different relationship with their kids. “There was more of a gap 10-20 years ago. Facebook and Twitter connect moms and their friends, but they also connect them to their kids,” said Cook.
Fun and Philanthropy: Collaboration with the Breast Cancer Alliance
Building on his momentum, Cook is planning a fundraiser for the Breast Cancer Alliance on Nov. 1 at The Ginger Man Restaurant in downtown Greenwich.
Yonni Wattenmaker, the executive director of Breast Cancer Alliance, said it was a wonderful surprise when Cook contacted her.
“Remy’s enthusiasm is contagious and the Party With Moms is very clever to combine socializing with philanthropy,” said Wattenmaker. “Because people can go out with their friends, meet new people and feel good. It’s a win-win situation.”
Dovetailing with Breast Cancer Awareness month of October, the Nov. 1 event will feature a full bar and hors d’oeuvres from Ginger Man.
Tickets for the Party With Moms Breast Cancer Alliance fundraiser can be reserved via the website or at the door.
“It’s a way to be with your friends, make new friends and raise money for a great charity,” said Cook.
Asked what he sees in his future, the 24-year-old who also has a year of work experience at a venture capital company replied, “I am learning a lot and having a ton of fun,” said Cook. “ I love working from home, working for myself and managing my time. The worse case scenario is that I learn a lot and try something else.”
"I’ve had support from family and friends especially my mom,” said Cook. “My uncle Gene of Martine & Company in Greenwich helped me with the logo and all the graphic designs on different products. And of course, my mom, and Marianne and Mike Riess who are my godparents, as well as my former boss for his ongoing advice.”
“I hope Party With Moms grows in popularity so eventually I can build a full apparel brand similar to 'Life is Good.''"
T-Shirt and a Bumper Sticker
Popular indeed. Party With Moms has 2,786 followers on Twitter and more than 1,000 Facebook friends. Shirts can be ordered from the Party With Moms website.
And, because people in Greenwich love bumper stickers almost as much as they love social media, Cook inserts a free bumper sticker when he fills each order.
