Military moms are showered with love at UBS Arena

Military families know the stress and isolation of deployment — the separation from loved ones can be extremely challenging, especially with a baby on the way.

Operation Shower, a non-profit organization founded in St. Louis, minimizes the stress of deployment by arranging baby showers for expecting military mothers and families.

On April 4, the Operation Shower team hosted a hockey-themed baby shower with the Islanders Children’s Foundation at UBS Arena in Elmont for 25 military moms-to-be — all of whom were either active-duty service members or the spouses or partners of deployed members on area military bases.

“If it’s your first time, if it’s a second time or third time, just thinking about having a baby shower, it makes you feel a little sad because your family is gone,” said Allyssa Hailemaskel, an expectant mother whose husband is in the Air Force. “When you have an opportunity like this to share with other moms who are in your same space — it means a lot that you’re not alone.”

The event featured a catered lunch, raffle prizes and the organization’s signature “Showers in a Box.” These boxes contain essential items for new parents, such as newborn clothing, baby blankets, toys, diapers and other high-quality products donated by companies, such as Yumi, Stop & Shop, Greater Goods, V-Tech, 4moms, Diaper Genie and Delta Children.

The gifts are donated by sponsors around the country, and individuals have made donations through the company’s website, OperationShower.org.

Since its inception by its founder, LeAnn Morrissey, in 2007, Operation Shower has helped more than 8,100 military moms in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard deployed on military bases or other locations.

This was the third time The Islanders Children’s Foundation and Operation Shower have collaborated to host this event, with this year’s event supported by Islanders partner, Ryan, LLC.

“For women who are expecting a baby and whose spouses are deployed, and especially for expectant moms who are active duty, the impending arrival of a child can be both exciting and stressful,” Morrissey said in a news release. “Operation Shower was created because typically military moms are the ones who hold it all together at home — these moms deserve our support, our appreciation and an opportunity to celebrate this wonderful milestone together.”

At the baby shower, the group played fun games, such as baby-themed bingo and “Name That Song.” Guests also received a baby’s first hockey season gift pack, which included earmuffs for the babies to wear during their first Islanders games. 

Everyone was a winner and no one left empty-handed. One of the biggest prizes of the day was a crib from Delta Children, which was given to every family.

Rachael Amaral, an expectant mother whose child is due in August, said she was anticipating to go home with just some extra diapers. When she heard she was going to bring home a new crib, she said she almost cried.

She added that she was grateful for the donations and to be in a room with other mothers who share similar experiences.

“Being in the military as a spouse can be isolating, so it’s really nice to meet other people that go through the same thing,” Amaral, whose husband serves in the Coast Guard, said. “I have a lot of friends that are not in the military, but they don’t always understand.”

Hailemaskel got emotional talking about how heartwarming it was to see all the fathers show up for their wives at the baby shower because in some circumstances, they are absent due to deployment.

“Seeing that really makes my heart happy,” Hailemaskel said.

Hailemaskel is from Los Angeles, but is stationed in New Jersey with her husband and two other young children. With the rest of her family living in California, she said she didn’t think she would have a baby shower for her third child.

“I did away with the whole idea of having another child because my kids are a little bit older and my husband’s always gone — but things have changed in our lives and he’s home much more,” Hailemaskel said. “I feel very prepared, very secure.”