Strength in Numbers

In 2020, Windermere resident Julie Sadlier was just about ready to give up.

Between an unexpected divorce, moving from her family home and the coronavirus pandemic, Sadlier felt completely alone.

That all changed when Sadlier got the idea for starting the ‘Girlfriends Rocking Life Situations’ Facebook group.

“It was so hard with COVID to be able to meet up or talk with anyone, and I was feeling down,” Sadlier said. “One day I decided to share my story in a post on Facebook, and I received an overwhelming mass of messages from women who were going through the same exact thing.”

What started out as a way for Sadlier to make new friends turned into much more. Since its inception in May, the group has grown to more than 700 members — all women in the Central Florida area.

Sadlier said although she knew she couldn’t individually meet with every single one of the women while also staying safe, she had to do something.

From Starbucks to restaurants, home associations, clubhouses and more, Sadlier searched Windermere for a place to host the large group of women. Her efforts finally were rewarded when the Elks Lodge in Winter Garden said it would love to help.

Now, the women of Girlfriends Rocking Life Situations come together on the second Monday of each month for a night of fun-filled support. The monthly meetings are free, with the exception of a $2 donation to cover the rental of the building. For 90 minutes, women of all ages, ethnicities, and life experiences come together to “feed their mind, body and spirit,” through singing, dancing, art, discussions and more.

“I love watching women come out of their shell and try something that they’ve never done — but have always wanted to do — with the confidence that their friends will be there to help,” Sadlier said.

For Sadlier, stepping out of that comfort zone will be a little messy — literally. This October, she plans to participate in her first mud race.

“It’s never too late to follow your dreams and do what makes you happy,” Sadlier said

In its most recent meeting, the group hosted a guest speaker, who talked about exercise and health. The women worked out and played with hula hoops, danced to the electric slide, played with beach balls and even completed the night with a Tik Tok dance.

Sadlier said every monthly meeting the group focuses on a different topic ranging from women in business to financial stability, mental health and more.

One woman every month also is awarded a special surprise in the form of a gift. Sadlier travels to local businesses to obtain a $20 gift card as well as other goodies that she puts together to make someone feel special every month.

In addition to the monthly meetings, sub-groups within the Facebook page also have formed and meet more frequently. Women in the group reach out for coffee dates, book club meetings, dinner dates, happy hour and more. The most recent larger planned event is a cruise to the Bahamas and Coco Cay scheduled for September 2022.

The group also serves as a safe space for women who need someone to talk to or are struggling. Sadlier said she has helped several women finds jobs, homes, support groups and more.

Sadlier does all of this on top of her full-time job in health care, as well as being a mom to her two daughters — a senior at the University of Florida and a senior at Windermere High School.

“Just because you are following a different path doesn’t make it the wrong path,” Sadlier said. “I still have dreams and hopes for the future, and these ladies help give me the strength to make them come true. I hope to inspire others to do so, as well.”