India Snow-Watt (right), program supervisor for Lutheran Social Services of Iowa’s H.O.P.E.S. family support program in Tama and Benton counties, registers participants during Saturday morning’s Community Baby Shower held in Dysart’s Norma Anders Public Library.

More than 20 Tama and Benton county expectant mothers stopped by the Norma Anders Public Library this past Saturday morning to take part in a community baby shower organized by India Snow-Watt, program supervisor with Lutheran Social Services of Iowa (LSI).

Snow-Watt operates the family support program H.O.P.E.S. (Healthy Opportunities for Parents to Experience Success) for Tama-Benton Early Childhood Iowa (ECI).

Ten stations were set up around the perimeter of the library’s Learning Center including a parent-child interaction table, a maternal and infant health and wellness table, a mental health table, a ‘Count the Kicks’ table, and a child care development table. Pastel balloons, twinkle lights, crepe streamers, and other baby shower decorations adorned the room.

LSI car seat techs Carrie Welton (Tama County) and Alisha Hunt (Black Hawk County) operated one of the stations, providing valuable information on car seat safety to interested shower attendees, as well as handing out free hand knit infant sweaters donated by the Gladbrook United Methodist Church for the event.

Snow-Watt expressed gratitude for all the sponsors of Saturday’s event which allowed for every attendee to receive a free high-quality diaper bag in addition to other shower items.

Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

For more information about LSI’s H.O.P.E.S. program which provides support for Tama and Benton families beginning in pregnancy and lasting through the age of four, contact India Snow-Watt by email India.Snow-Watt@LSIowa.org.

Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Erin Monaghan (right) Director of Better Tomorrows ECI which serves Tama and Benton counties, assists a young shower attendee pick out a book for her baby sibling on the way while her mother looks on. Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker

Photo by Ruby F. Bodeker