MAY 22, 2013, ST. LOUIS, MO – For military moms-to-be whose spouses are deployed, the joy and excitement of pregnancy can be bittersweet. To help ease the stress of deployment and bring some joy to these courageous women, St. Louis-based non-profit Operation Shower, with support from Birdies for the Brave® and baby bedding company Carousel Designs, has launched its nationwide Showers in a Box program – in which self-contained “mini-showers” are shipped to military moms-to-be located on bases and in communities nationwide. Each Shower in a Box contains an assortment of unique, high-quality products and gifts for the mothers and babies that have been generously donated by companies including Carousel Designs.
Operation Shower was launched in 2007 when St. Louis native LeAnn Morrissey asked her deployed uncle what she could do to help. He suggested that LeAnn send cards to the expectant wives of fellow deployed service members. LeAnn decided to do much more. With the help of family and friends, she gathered onesies and bottles, baby outfits and blankets, and sent each of the women a bountiful gift to celebrate the impending arrival of their baby. This was the inception of the Shower in a Box, a concept that was expanded to include over-the-top, amazing group baby showers for 30-40 military moms-to-be conducted at military bases and other locations across the U.S. Each uniquely-themed, spectacularly decorated shower includes lunch, prizes, an opportunity for the moms to share stories and gain comfort from other military moms-to-be, and the highlight of the shower, the presentation of the Showers in a Box to each mom.
“For military wives who are expecting a baby and whose spouses are deployed or soon to be deployed, the impending arrival of a child can be both exciting and stressful,” said Morrissey. Operation Shower was created specifically to honor these courageous military moms for all they do at home that enables their spouses to proudly serve our country and defend our freedom. We want them to know how much they are loved and appreciated, and provide them with an opportunity to celebrate this special milestone together.”
Since Operation Shower’s inception, the organization has honored more than 1,300 military moms-to-be from all five branches of the military at joyous group baby showers, most of them conducted in partnership with Birdies for the Brave – a military outreach initiative proudly supported by the PGA TOUR. Many of the showers are held during PGA TOUR tournaments, with upcoming events planned during the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, CT (June 18) and The Barclays at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey City, NJ (August 20). Past Operation Shower hosts and special guests have included First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden; actresses Sarah Michelle Gellar and Melissa Joan Hart; and other prominent, caring individuals from the sports, news, political and entertainment arenas.
The launch of the Showers in a Box stand-alone program will help ensure that military moms-to-be who are unable to attend one of the group baby showers due to geographic location or health reasons will still have an opportunity to be showered with gifts and reminded how much their service and sacrifice behind the scenes are appreciated. The boxes are packed at Operation Shower’s offices in St. Louis, and then shipped to moms across the U.S. For sponsorship, donation and other information, please visit www.operationshower.org or follow them on Facebook.