Health Department Baby Store re-opens
The Cumberland County Department of Public Health re-opened the Baby Store in a ceremony Friday which was attended by public health officials and community champions.
The Baby Store is an incentive-based, prenatal health promotion program that aims to create healthy moms and healthy babies.
Health Department clients can earn “baby bucks” by attending their prenatal care and other appointments as well as participating in health education programs such as smoking cessation, childbirth, parenting and breastfeeding classes. Baby bucks can be used to purchase infant clothing, diapers and bottles.
The store officially opens to Health Department clients Tuesday on the second floor of the Public Health Center at 1235 Ramsey St., Fayetteville. Store hours will be Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The store is made possible through a grant awarded by the North Carolina Office of Rural Health. It first opened in 2010, but closed in 2011 because funding ended. The store was reopened from 2014 to 2016.
“We welcome all pregnant women to come to the Baby Store to support and improve the health of yourself as a woman, your pregnancy and your baby,” said Dr. Connette McMahon, chair of the Cumberland County Board of Health.
Dr. Betsey Tilson, the State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, attended the ceremony and praised the local efforts of Cumberland County Public Health.
“There are things we can do in Raleigh to make it easier for you, but it’s the things you are doing on the ground locally that really make the difference,” Tilson said. “What I like about it [Baby Store] is this idea that our community cares about each other … that social support that we care about other people’s babies and we care about other people.”
For more information about the Baby Store, or other Maternal and Child Health programs, go to co.cumberland.nc.us/health or call 910-433-3600.
Splash Pad Ribbon Cuttings
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners and the towns of Eastover and Wade invite residents on Wednesday to separate ribbon cuttings for new splash pads.
Eastover will open a splash pad at 9 a.m. at the Eastover Ball Park, 3731 Ball Park Road. Wade will open a splash pad following 10:30 a.m. ceremony at the Wade Community Park, 4060 Church St. The splash pads are funded by County recreation dollars.
Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation preparing for the opening of three more pads in Godwin, Linden and Gray’s Creek by the end of May.
Cumberland Update
• Today – Board of Commissioners regular meeting begins at 6:45 p.m. in Room 118 of the Cumberland County Courthouse, 117 Dick St. Anyone wishing to speak during the public comment period should register prior to the start of the meeting.
• May 27 – Memorial Day closing. All Cumberland County Government offices will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday. This includes all public libraries, Solid Waste landfills and container sites and the Animal Shelter.
Jon Soles is the public information specialist for Cumberland County Government. You can reach him at 910-321-6579 or jsoles@co.cumberland.nc.us.