Operation Shower #tothemoonandback

October 9, 2015 steve chavez

Operation....SHOWER! Have you heard about it? If not, here's the briefing from the chief party planners themselves:

Operation Shower is about celebrating, honoring and showing love to military families. Operation Shower is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and our mission is to provide joyful- AWESOME — baby showers for military families to ease the stress of deployment.

For military families who are expecting a new baby and are experiencing or have recently experienced deployment, we accomplish our mission through:

hosting amazing baby showers;
delivering high-quality products;
creating a shared experience;
bringing recognition to military families; and
working with individuals and companies to provide them an opportunity to show their appreciation and love for military families.

Our Story

Operation Shower began in March 2007, when LeAnn Morrissey, looking for a way to give back to to the military, was asked to send a card to 4 women who were expecting babies while their spouses were deployed.

LeAnn decided to try to do much more for these families.

She set out with family and friends to send a “shower in a box” to the four military families who were expecting babies while the husband was deployed. The overwhelming support she received putting these boxes together and the messages of thanks she received from these moms left her with little doubt that this was something worth doing — over and over again! Soon thereafter, she worked together with Kris Jackson and others to hold the first unit-wide baby shower at Ft. Bragg, NC in June 2007 and Operation Shower was born.

The response from people across the country has been amazing as people understand the importance of our mission. As of September 2013, the Operation Shower team has, through the generous donations of individuals and corporations and through volunteer-power, hosted showers for over 1600 women and families. We have held 38 unit-wide showers on military bases and other locations, such as PGA TOUR sites, across the country for families in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard. Operation Shower feels blessed and honored to be able to join with these women for a special celebration during what is otherwise an often stressful time. The showers provide wonderful items for the new babies and moms, and help bring the women together to celebrate with others in the same situation.

Operation Shower was founded specifically because we know that moms in a military family who hold it all together at home deserve a party!

So...

When we first heard about it I couldn't believe it. My favorite things - babies, parties and a wonderful cause that helps these mommies. We jumped in head first and participated in our first shower assisting with a dessert setup with Sweets Indeed and custom animal decor to compliment the theme dreamed up and designed by for Fairtytale Forest. We made new friends, held lots of babies and teared up with some of the lucky recipients as we watched the day unfold:

[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQyvgtPPfPw&w=854&h=480]

Promising to be back, we came back. And we brought music with HAPPEN. And lights. And EDLT Photo. And, The Happen Booth. Crafters each took on one guest table, popping in elements of the graphic design created by Tania Fischer for the shower sponsored by Pepsico.

Here is a photo recap of some of my favorite elements of the day made possible by so many wonderful designers, crafters, makers and bakers. Photo credit: Mirage + Light Photography.