Thanksgiving donation presented to family of newborn at Oaklawn Birth Center

MARSHALL – The family of a recent newborn at Oaklawn’s Birth Center received a generous Thanksgiving gift from members of a Homer church.

Hope Woods and Duane Young of Springfield received a large bin filled with easy-to-prepare prepackaged foods and treats, assembled and donated by members of the Cook’s Prairie Baptist Church youth group.

The couple are the parents of Zy’Ariahna Michelle Young, who was born at 3:44 a.m. Nov. 26 – Thanksgiving Day – in Oaklawn’s Birth Center. The child weighed 5 pounds and 4 ounces.

“The idea is to be a blessing to the first mom who delivers on or near Thanksgiving, perhaps to take a little of the load off, food-wise,” said Jerry Noseworthy, pastor of the church at 6020 23-Mile Road, which includes members from Homer, Marshall and Coldwater.

Noseworthy, who has led the church for more than two years, visited Oaklawn on Nov. 24 with his children Ethan Noseworthy, 10, and Shelby Noseworthy, 7, to deliver the donation.

The minister said he and his wife Jennifer Noseworthy conceived of the idea, which was executed as a first-ever project by the roughly 15 members of the youth group.

“We just think it’s an awesome idea,” said Sondra Fettes, clinical coordinator of Oaklawn’s Birth Center. “What a great way to show a blessing to any family, but somebody over the stressful time of the holidays, to have this gift brought to them.”