The Exchange Club of Springfield, Ohio received the Ohio-West Virginia District Exchange Clubs “Best New Community Service Project ” Award for “Operation Baby Link” at the May 6th, 2017 Ohio-West Virginia District Convention in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Karen Sullivan and Beverly Sewell accepted the award for the club from Ohio-West Virginia District President Don Price.
This is the second consecutive year that the District has awarded the honor to the Springfield Club, which is celebrating 95 years of service to Springfield and Clark County.
The purpose of “Operation Baby Link” is to provide a baby layette basket to expecting local Air National Guard service members and or their spouse, for new infants up to 2 months of age.
The Exchange Club Foundation Springfield Board of Directors has approved a budget of $ 1,800. As of March 20th, the club has provided 50 baskets this year at an average cost of $35.00 each.
The baskets include a baby poem, “Children Learn What They Live”, which we printed and framed to put in the baskets that compliment the Child Abuse Prevention National Exchange Project – as Co-Chair Mrs. Haemmerle said – “If everyone read this poem each day, there would not be any child abuse.”
The baskets will have a note that they are provided in concert from the Springfield Air National Guard Airman and Readiness Program and the Exchange Club of Springfield, in the Nom de Guerre of The 178th Squadron Den Mothers.
The items include the following:
Baby Bottles, Onesies, Bottle Brushes, Bath Toys, Pacifiers, Bath Loofahs, Bibs, Rattles, Baby Wipes, Baby Powder, Baby Shampoo, Baby Spoons, Wash Cloths, Snack Containers, Safety Plugs, Stuffed Toys, Baby Lotion, Socks, Small Books , Baby Comb & Brush or any cute item that you would think would work. When we make these up we use baskets, ribbon, shrink wrap bags, and embellishments but the Den Mothers will provide these.