HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
2-day-old little Alight is Mom and Dad's first child and a precious Christmas gift, being delivered here in a stocking.
The stockings are made at Huntsville Hospital for a special purpose, according to Dawn Morris, an RN in the Women's and Children's area. "...and that's something they really like cause that serves as their first Christmas picture," she said.
Sharon Arty coordinates the volunteers through the "Senior Horizons."
"The spark for the program came from a nurse manager who thought it would be a sweet idea to welcome new babies and join in the excitement of their parents during the Christmas season... so that they could have their first photo made in a Christmas stocking. And it would be a keepsake," she explained.
It's a program stitched with love that have volunteers eager to sign up. Teresa Coulter is a NASA employee who volunteers her time here.
"NASA has a combined federation, federal program, and they have volunteers go out for about 4 hours and volunteer at different charities. And I came here to work at one of the gift shops," she said.
Once here, she found out about this program and it tugged at her heart for a special reason. "My son came home 21 years ago in one of the stockings. And since my son had done that I really wanted to help other mothers."
Little Oakleigh, the rest of the babies, and their moms can attest to the emotional health that this program brings to them.
Teresa Coulter remembers how she felt. "You know it's hard at Christmas time being away from your family. And they get to wake up and open gifts and you're in the hospital with your baby. And when they brought my son to me in the stocking it just made my day. It just made such a brighter day and you know, being happy makes you healthier. It makes the child healthier."
And it's not just the moms reaping the mental and emotional benefits, but also the volunteers.
"My husband had just died and I just was sitting at home thinking one day and I had some friends that did this, so I came down and joined them," said Martha Larariett.
Stitching every thread with a sharing heart. "It makes me feel good knowing I'm doing something of service for somebody else", says Larariett.
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