Las Vegas Sun

February 11, 2012

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Nellis site of Nevada’s biggest military baby shower

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Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

Air Force Airman 1st Class Holly Hughes, who is 22 weeks pregnant, and Airman 1st Class Michael Ruark laugh while opening gifts for their daughter Saturday during Nevada’s largest military baby shower at Nellis Air Force Base.

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Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

Nellis baby shower

Amber Marcelin-Flynn introduces her 2-week-old daughter, Whitney Sarah Marie, to Angel Julie Goe on Saturday during Nevada's largest military baby showerat Nellis Air Force Base. Flynn's husband, 1st Lt. Dennis Flynn, is serving in Afghanistan with the Army National Guard. Launch slideshow »

Nellis Air Force Base

Sun Coverage

It was a typical baby shower in most respects — there was cake, decorations, cheesy games and lots of presents.

But it was a larger than a typical shower. Actually, it was about 50 times larger.

The largest military baby shower in Nevada was held Saturday afternoon at Nellis Air Force Base for 51 new or soon-to-be mothers who are either in the military or have military partners.

“So many times the spouses don’t get thanked,” said Jody Shervanick, the person who organized the event for the organization Soldiers’ Angels. “They don’t wear uniforms or get certificates, but they still serve.”

This was the third year the event was put on by the nonprofit group, but last year, they only had 17 moms.

Most of the mothers this year were from Nellis, but some were from Creech Air Force Base and one drove more than three hours from Caliente.

Most were are having, or just had, one baby, but one mother is expecting twins and another, triplets.

“Since we didn’t have our own baby shower, this is nice,” said Jamie Cothran, who attended the shower with her 7-week-old daughter, Jade, and her mother-in-law.

Her husband was able to come home briefly from Afghanistan for the birth, but getting to know other military moms helps in his absence, she said.

“There’s a lot of support with them,” she said. “It’s nice to know you’re not the only one going through it.”

Staff Sgt. Sarah Scott, who is expecting a baby girl in January and already has a 19-month-old, agreed.

“It’s difficult when you’re away from family and everything, but they take care of you here,” she said. “There’s a lot of support here at Nellis. Everyone’s so helpful.”

Felicia Renee Higgins, who is expecting a boy in January, said the gifts were going to be a big help.

“Especially with your first child, you don’t really have everything, and being in the military you don’t have anyone around,” she said.

Each mother received flowers from her husband, fiancé or boyfriend, as well as a basket overflowing with gifts.

“This is really nice,” Higgins said. “It is really overwhelming. I didn’t expect all this.”

Shervanick said the gifts were all donated, some by people as far away as Germany, and a group of 35 volunteers held a wrapping party last weekend.

It took 58 volunteers to put on Saturday’s event, and nearly a year of planning, she said.

In the process, Shervanick said, she became part of many of the families represented at the event. In some cases, she knew about a birth before the father did, if he was overseas.

The event was a success for her because of the moms’ reactions, she said. “It’s wonderful. It definitely makes all the hard work worth it,” she said.

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