FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2018
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: Mandie Pepperman, Community Coordinator Washington County CAN Council
Cell: 263-5270, Office: 255-8273, Email: [email protected]
Wendy Harrington, Director Services Programs, Maine Seacoast Mission
Office: 546-5870, Cell: 610-9446, Email: [email protected]
Community Baby Shower Designed to Inform Families, Avoid Infant Abuse
CHERRYFIELD, ME — A Community Baby Shower? What’s that all about? The concept comes from the Washington County CAN Council based in Machias, ME. “The CAN Council goal,” said Community Coordinator Mandie Pepperman, “is to prevent child abuse and neglect” in Washington County.
“One way we do that is by providing information,” said Mandie Pepperman. Maine Seacoast Mission’s Service Program Director Wendy Harrington, and Community Resource Coordinator Megan Burgess, in a discussion with Ms. Pepperman, decided “one way to provide information” is through a Community Baby Shower at the Mission Downeast Campus.
According to Pepperman, “New babies are our highest abused population.” The Community Baby Shower aims to prevent or stem such abuse.
An ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure. “We want to reach parents prenatally, offer a little bit of training, and make it fun with baby shower games and prizes,” Pepperman explained.
The Community Baby Shower welcomes expectant moms, but also their partners, and people within families serving as caregivers. The people, said Mandie Pepperman, “with the most impact on a newborn baby’s development.”
The CAN Council’s goal is to have quarterly Community Baby Showers throughout Washington County.
The Mission Downeast Campus Community Baby Shower is Thursday, December 13, 1:00 – 3:00 pm, 39 Weald Bethel Lane, Cherryfield, ME. The Shower hosts are asking people planning to attend to RSVP by calling or texting 263-5270.
For more information contact Mandie Pepperman at 255-8273, or Megan Burgess at 546-4466.
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