By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Parents-to-be, new parents, and more are invited to the Barton County Community Baby Shower on Thursday, June 13 at Jack Kilby Square in downtown Great Bend. Bev Frizell, WIC coordinator at the Barton County Health Department, said there will be approximately two dozen vendors to provide information on Safe Sleep and the services they provide to new families.
"Pregnant women and new dads are welcome to attend," she said. "We also appreciate grandparents coming. It can also be for people who have already had their children. There's a lot of helpful information for young families. We will also have some activities for kids, too, with face painting and story time."
Each booth has donated a door prize for the baby shower, and participants can collect signatures from each booth to be entered to win those prizes. The health department has also incorporated car seat checks into the event.
"The car seat checks are actually going to be in the parking lot of the health department," Frizell said. "It's a drive-thru event and we will have several car seat technicians here to do some car seat checks."
Among the booths, participants can learn more about the latest recommendations for Safe Sleep, breastfeeding, and the effect of smoking around infants, all with the goal of reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
The Community Baby Shower, which runs from 4-6:30 p.m. near the bandshell at Jack Kilby Square, is hosted by the Barton County Health Department, Kansas Children's Service League-Healthy Families, and the Great Bend Fire Department.