Warren Twp. students helping babies in need

Bottles, blankets and pacifiers are on the way to help families struggling to raise their newborn babies.

Students from Warren Township High School and others in the community collected nearly 2,000 items as part of the 4th annual "Biggest Baby Shower" project. The charity drive is organized by the Gurnee Exchange Club.

Students in the EXCEL Club at Warren, collected nearly 450 items, including diapers, toys and strollers, during a weeklong drive.

"Anyone can find themselves in this situation," said EXCEL President Deanna Galea. "We just feel like if we were in a tough situation, we would want help too. So that's what we're trying to do."

A van stopped at Gurnee-area drop off centers, including the high school, Monday to pick up the goods.

The donated items will immediately help needy families, but there is a greater reason for having the baby shower, organizers said.

"Our primary purpose in this drive is to raise awareness about the Illinois Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Law," said Gurnee Breakfast Exchange Club President Roberta Pfeiffer. "People need to understand what the law says."

Passed in 2001, the law allows individuals to deliver unharmed babies seven days old or younger to a staff person at a designated "safe haven." Drop off sites are typically hospitals and police and fire stations.

According to the Chicago-based Save Abandoned Babies Foundation, nearly 35 infants were abandoned each year from 1997 to 1999. Of these, approximately 20 infants were abandoned before they were one day old. There have been 54 illegal abandonments in Illinois since 2001. At least half of the babies died. Statistics for Lake County were not available.

The donations are being given to Waukegan-based Aid For Women and Gurnee-based Zacharias Sexual Abuse Center.

"This is a wonderful thing they do," said Aid For Women Volunteer Director Carol Walsh. "There is not only a huge need for the items, but this is a way of getting the word out that you don't have to abandon your babies," Walsh said. "There is an alternative."