Armed with plans to host more than football game-watching parties, the UGA Alumni Association's Cobb County chapter held its kick-off meeting Thursday night.

About 35 people attended the gathering at Varners Restaurant and Tavern in Smyrna.

"Most clubs are geared around just football season," president Paula Merritt said, "and the chapters do things throughout the year."

Merritt said upcoming activities include a blood drive vs. Georgia Tech alumni April 1-9, volunteering at the Atlanta Steeplechase April 12, a Habitat for Humanity project April 19, seeing "The Lion King," May 4 and a kickball tournament June 7.

The chapter also plans a freshman send-off in May.

It will hold general meetings the second Tuesday of each month and networking dinners on the first Thursday of each month.

And don't forget the game-watching parties in the fall.

Merritt said UGA alumni in Cobb County already had Bulldog Clubs, which were mainly for football boosters. However, she said a chapter is different because it is directly affiliated with the UGA Alumni Association. Members must have attended the university to join or be a family member of an alum.

"Right now, we have about 1,250 registered alumni that are members of the UGA Alumni Association, but a little over 12,000 alumni just in the Cobb area," Merritt said. "The whole concept with the chapters is to give back to the university and have a constant connection."

Merritt, class of '93, was on the UGA Alumni Board of Directors from 2002-2005 and was appointed the chapter's first president to get the group off the ground.

Cobb alumni have been welcome to attend events in metro Atlanta, but a county chapter brings activities closer to home. Merritt said DeKalb and Fulton Counties already have their own chapters.

The Cobb group held interest meetings for a couple of months before Thursday night's event. Merritt said members from Cherokee, Paulding and other neighboring counties who don't have their own chapters are welcome to join.