… the “Hidden Partners.” ®

The SoCo Wives Association is for women engaged or married to a First Responder living or working in Sonoma County — active, retired or who have reached the “end of watch.” If you are the wife of a first responder of another department other than in Sonoma County and would like to start a support group, click here.

As First Responder’s Wives, we experience emotions that other wives don’t; we have fears that other wives don’t; we deal with shift changes and periods of single parenting and lonely holidays. Our husbands are often stressed and go through many changes stemming from their careers. It’s been said that first responder’s wives are the hidden partners and, whether we realize it or not in the beginning, those are big shoes to fill. Our husbands and their on-duty partners receive high quality training for months. We fill our partner positions with little or no training and, often, very little support.

The SoCo Wives Association, launched in March of 2010, was formed to offer educational seminars, workshops and various activities to empower us as hidden partners. Within is a large group of caring women who know the difficulties of growing happy families and successful marriages in spite of the added pressures of being a first responder’s wife. You may have heard the quote, “There’s no substitute for experience.” Let’s share our experience and encourage each other in our hidden partner roles. Let’s have some fun, as well! See the Activities Section of our website for scheduled functions.

Our Website contains information and articles you may find helpful as well as an online forum where you can meet other SoCo wives and make friends. The forum will be ever-changing and evolving, so visit often.

The SoCo Wives Association is a private organization with the right to set its own membership and leadership standards. Funds raised and net proceeds from dues and items sold will go to pay for our workshops, seminars, retreats, meetings and to support our website and other operating costs.

You Are Not Alone! We’d love to get to know you! We hope you will join us, make new friends, and be encouraged by other women living “the life” of a first responder’s wife. Become a member, send us an e-mail or join us at one of our many activities.

“Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.” ~ Unknown

The SoCo Wives Association is a Member of the Hidden Partners Network