Raising the Valley will hold their fifth Community Baby Shower at Settlers Green in North Conway on Friday, April 17, from 4 to 6 pm. The shower will be held at 2 Common Court Suite C4, near American Eagle. Raising the Valley is a coalition effort to support families of young children in Mount Washington Valley, and part of New Hampshire Alliance of Early Childhood Coalitions.
All expectant families are encouraged to come, as well as any families who have recently had a baby. Adoptive parents and foster parents are welcome. New this year, Cheese Louise will be serving grilled cheese sandwiches! The Trails End ice cream truck, the Bookmobile, and Mother Goose will be there too. There will also be a free baby boutique, free diapers, activities for all ages, a photo booth, and a raffle, with items for kids and parents. Families can meet local nonprofits who offer support to families of young children, and local pediatric healthcare providers.
Cheryl Frankowski, care coordinator at White Mountain Community Health Center, said, “It’s an opportunity to connect with families in the community in a fun, inviting way. It’s dinner time, so we’re serving a meal. Families can come, eat and enjoy themselves, and connect with all the resources and each other.”
Cathy Livingston, director of the Family Connections Resource Center at Children Unlimited, is also the coordinator for Raising the Valley. She said the event is an opportunity for parents “to see what’s in your community. What does our county have to offer that families might not know of? Or might have changed if it’s been a while since they had their first child? The big part is connecting with each other – whether it’s a new family, or a family that’s expecting or just recently had a child. Having that connection with other people is just so, so important.”
Over 20 organizations will be at the event and available to talk to families about the resources they offer. These include libraries, nonprofits, healthcare providers, state and local public health organizations, childcare providers, and other nonprofits that support local families.
Expectant parents will have the chance to talk to local pediatric providers and get a sense of who they are before they choose one for their new child. This includes family nurse practitioners Marcelo Maiorano, APRN and Josie Lamb, APRN of White Mountain Community Health Center, as well as other local pediatric providers.
Livingston said that the number of raffle prizes has grown this year, and there will be some for kids as well as parents. There will be a lot of gift baskets in the raffle, as well as a car seat and a Pack ‘n Play. There will be baby hats, bibs and onesies to decorate with stencils, and older siblings can make shirts for themselves too.
She said, “Our hope is for families to feel welcomed, to learn about community resources, to make connections, and to celebrate! I hope we see a lot of families who are happy and excited to be there. It’s free, just come, and bring your family, and have a great time!”
For more information on the Community Baby Shower, contact Cheryl Frankowski at (603) 447-8900 x313 or cfrankowski@whitemountainhealth.org, or Cathy Livingston at (603) 901-3053 or clivingston@childrenunlimitedinc.org. For more information on Raising the Valley, visit their website at raisingthevalley.org.