Tag Archives: Baby Shower for Military

Blue Star Mothers hosting annual Military Baby Shower

4 Apr

Calling all local military families!

The Blue Star Mothers NY8 Chapter of Rochester are making plans for this year’s Military Baby Shower, and they’re looking for more families to shower with gifts.

The event, scheduled for Sunday May 5 at the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post on Ridge Rd., will shower up to 20 babies with “Baby Baskets of Loving Care,” each filled with gifts for moms and their babies including baby clothing, handmade outfits, homemade blankets, sweaters, booties and hats, diapers, wipes, baby supplies, toys, and more. The new mamas will also be offered chair massages and other pampering at the event.

Active duty, veterans and military spouses of active duty and veterans who are expecting or have children up to 6 months old are welcome to register for and attend the shower. (Must be a resident of Monroe or Wayne counties.)

The Mothers have been pulling together donations for many months, but they’d love to get a lot more. If you’d like to help out, you can donate to their baby gift registry through this Amazon.com link.

Blue Star Mothers president Amy VanDerwerken said, “We love how the local community comes together to support this event. They allow us to provide diapers, clothes, wipes, bibs, blankets, bottles, toys, books, etc.” Besides the many individuals who donate from the Amazon Baby Shower list, they also receive donations from several local businesses and community organizations.

Blue Star Mothers are mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers and female legal guardians who have children serving in the military, guard or reserves, or children who are veterans. The Baby Shower for Military is one of the group’s most important service projects. Each year BSM NY8 honors up to 20 local military families, and for some of these expectant mothers, it may be the only baby shower they get, since they’re usually stationed far away from their close relatives.

“We hope to continue growing and working with the community to be able to support our local military families,” VanDerwerken said. “We could not do this military baby shower event without that support.” 

The Military Baby Shower will be hosted by the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post on Sunday May 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. It’s totally free for the first 20 women to register. To sign up, or for more information, contact one of the Baby Shower Committee Co-chairs, Amy VanDerwerken and Jill Harris, at 1VP.NY8@BlueStarMothers.US.

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(posted 4/4/2024)

Blue Star mothers host Baby Shower for Military

9 May

A week ago Sunday, 15 expectant Blue Star moms and new mothers were showered with gifts at the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post in Webster, at a special Baby Shower for Military.

Blue Star Mothers are mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers and female legal guardians who have children serving in the military, guard or reserves, or children who are veterans. 

The event is organized annually by the Blue Star Mothers Rochester Chapter NY8 (BSM NY8). The group’s members have been collecting items for nine months in preparation for this year’s event, held Sunday May 1. Fifteen “Baby Baskets of Loving Care” were prepared, each filled with gifts for moms and their babies including baby clothing, handmade outfits, homemade blankets, sweaters, booties and hats, diapers, wipes, baby supplies, toys, homemade boppies and more. Each family also received a Diaper Genie and bouncy seat.

The Baby Shower for Military is one of the most important service projects of the Blue Star Mothers Rochester Chapter. Each year BSM NY8 honors up to 20 local military families, and for some of these expectant mothers, it may be the only baby shower they get, since they’re usually stationed far away from their close relatives.

This year’s shower was co-chaired by BSM NY8 president Amy VanDerwerken and vice president Jill Harris. It was held at the Cottreall-Warner American Legion Post 942 (as it has been for the last several years) which donated the use of the hall. The Post’s Auxiliary Unit also donated $400 for diapers and baby wipes. Additional assistance was received from the American Red Cross, Chili Chain Gang, Greece American Legion (and Auxiliary), Francis Hibbard Post 4658 (and Auxiliary), Hegedorn’s Supermarket, the Monroe County Department of Disabled Veterans Chapter 15, Target, Walmart, Donuts Delite, Schutt’s Apple Mill, Tops Friendly Markets, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Kinecta.  

Thank you to Jill Harris and Gordon Clarke for the photos.

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(posted 5/9/2022)