Tri-Cities Girl Scouts Rally for Donations to Operation Baby Shower

Girls Scouts from the Tri-Cities area and a nonprofit organization are reaching out to community members and local businesses for help with a unique baby shower next month.

Operation Showers of Appreciation (OSOA) will host its first Northern California-based baby shower for 11 military families on March 5.

Girl Scout Troop 32271 will co-host the event that shows appreciation for service members and their families as well as providing emotional support during difficult times.

According to OSOA President Kimberly Felshaw, the baby shower in Fremont will have expectant mothers and families from Walnut Creek, Pleasanton, Hayward, Modesto, Richmond, Sacramento, Seaside and Tracy.

“Last year, we helped around 2,500 families,” Felshaw said.

Felshaw started OSOA in 2006. According to the group’s website, OSOA helped 100 military families in 2008. The group assisted its 200th family during its 2009 baby shower in Twentynine Palms.

“It’s groups like the Girl Scouts...and the many volunteers and supporters that allow us to do what we do today,” Felshaw said.

Girl Scout Troop 32271 is made up of a mix of local girls from Fremont, Union City and Brentwood: McKenna Conners, Natalie Rogers, Camille Rodriguez, Amanda Teano, and Kylie Walrod.

This Junior Girl Scout troop became involved with OSOA while researching ideas for a service project. Troop leader Adriana Cole read about the organization when it was featured in the "Heroes Among Us" section of People magazine.  

“Our girls had just hosted a baby shower for one of our troop moms and they had chosen to help children for their project. When we heard about OSOA, it was a natural fit,” said troop mother Stacey Conners.

The five-member troop has been working diligently for several months to raise money, along with gift and food donations, for the shower. 

According to Connors, the girls have to talked to a number of Tri-Cities businesses who have agreed to donate food to the event, including in Newark. HomeTown Buffet has also donated free kids' meal coupons. 

At this time, the troop invites more local eateries to donate a catering tray of their choosing to help feed the military families at the shower.

To date, Troop 32271 has raised nearly $2,000 in cash donations. The girls have also collected more than 400 pieces in donated toys, clothing, diapers, and other baby essentials. 

They hope to raise another $500 in cash donations which will be used to purchase additional “wish list” items for the families, said Connors.

Here are other donation items still needed for the March 5 baby shower:

• Disposable and cloth diapers
• Baby wipes
• New infant clothing
• Baby feeding items such as breast pumps, bottles, and bibs

If you would like to make a donation to Girl Scout Troop 32271’s OSOA shower on March 5, you may contact troop leader Adriana Cole at 619-944-0982. 

People may also drop off donations at this location:

Fremont Fire Station #9
39609 Stevenson Place
Fremont 94539

According to Conners, donors may go to the fire station's front door and ring the door bell.  If the crew is away on a call, donations can be left by the front door.