By Heather Clower
The Parsons Advocate
Barbara Kincaid recently found herself in a dilemma. She has been the Director of the Central WV Center for Pregnancy Care for 15 years. Car seats were needed for clients of the center, but there were none available. Fortunately, Beki Myers recalled a program formerly through the St. George Medical Center that assisted in providing car seats to those who qualified. After a brief conversation between Kincaid and Myers, contacts were made with Paul Wamsley, Jr., Director of SGMC to inquire if anything similar could be implemented.
Knowing the center receives no state or government funding, Wamsley immediately went to work and found a way to donate five infant and five convertible car seats for the families in need. He said, “St. George Medical Clinic is pleased to join in collaboration with the Re-Opening of the Central WV Center for Pregnancy Care in Tucker County,” which was celebrated earlier this month after a few months of not having a Tucker County headquarters. Wamsley continued, “The goals, the mission, and the culture fostered by the Board of Directors, Director Barbara Kincaid, and staff of the pregnancy center provide women the fundamentals and knowledge to make conscious, life-changing decisions for the betterment of their health, their child’s health, and their overall well-being.”
Wamsley added, “Barb Kincaid has and is doing a great job of providing clothing, food, baby cribs, pack and plays, and other resources to women and families in the Tucker and surrounding communities. St. George Clinic is pleased and honored to help Barb in an effort of providing car seats to any woman in need of proper child seats for safe transportation. Furthermore, St. George Clinic is pleased to provide the pregnancy center free office space in the Parsons City Building in an effort to cut costs for the pregnancy center, and to provide ample space for Barb and her staff to carry out the mission of the organization.”
“Whatever we can do to ease that burden is what we want to do,” commented Kincaid. She explained that car seats are not considered a luxury item, but a necessity. Some hospitals such as St. Joseph’s in Buckhannon will not allow a new family to leave the hospital without a car seat check. She also informed that the new parents must earn these items; they are not just handed out. “You have to earn it to get it,” she continued as she explained the parents to be must earn credits to go towards items they are in need of by attending doctor’s appointments and parenting classes, just to name a few. “They work really hard for these items, we’re really proud of the program,” Kincaid said.
It is evident a program such as this requires significant collaboration between local entities, especially in a small community. Without assistance such as this from SGMC as well as that from Amy Owens and Community Action, World Vision, churches, groups, and individuals, none of this would be possible. “I love these families and I love these children,” proclaimed Kincaid.
The Central West Virginia Center for Pregnancy Care serves nine counties with the main headquarter being located in Buckhannon. Each year, they participate in the Strawberry Festival Parade where each child in the crowd receives a stuffed animal, equally around 1,000 new best friends for these children. They are also preparing to host their annual Christmas Party on December 20 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Way of Holiness Church in Buckhannon for all program families to attend. Not only do those in attendance receive a home cooked meal, but they have an opportunity to shop for Christmas gifts through donations to the program.
If you or someone you know could benefit from this program, you can visit the Parsons location on Thursdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. or call the main office at 1-877-472-1122 or the Parsons Office at 304-642-8496. Kincaid is on call around the clock.
