Friday, Sept. 5, 2003 | 8:29 a.m.
Parked cars lined the street a block in either direction outside Gertrude Dubowe's Summerlin home Wednesday afternoon.
It was obvious that Dubowe, of Sun City, was having quite a party -- a baby shower, actually.
Her 35 guests arrived loaded down with teeny T-shirts, tiny rompers and baskets of bears, booties, bottles and bibs.
They brought boxes of baby oil, powder and bath soap. They brought hand-made crib quilts and crocheted receiving blankets.
Who's the lucky tyke?
These women had no idea.
Members of the women's auxiliary for the Jewish War Veterans Association Post 21 were hosting this shower for Nellis Air Force Base babies, some of whom haven't even been born.
For the past seven years the ladies' group members have purchased and donated new baby items to Nellis Family Services Center for its layette program. The program gives newborn starter kits to Nellis families upon the arrival of first-born children.
Air Force personnel with a rank below sergeant are eligible. That group earns anywhere from $1,064 to $1,824 a month if they don't live on the base, said Mary Wedlow, an Air Force wife, mother of six and the Nellis volunteer in charge of the layette program.
It's a tight salary that must cover all rent and family expenses.
"It's a big help," Wedlow said of the newborn layettes.
The program gave layettes to 87 Nellis newborns last year.
Wednesday's donations included 10 quilts made by Sun City Summerlin's quilting club and bedding created by the community's sewing club.
The annual shower is such an eagerly anticipated event that the number of women who may attend is limited because of space. But all members contribute, even if they can't go. A $5 gift is the minimum requirement. Most give much more, Gladys Handwerker, auxiliary president, said.
"We all love doing it," Handwerker said. "The shower gets bigger and bigger every year."
This year, however, it was smaller by one. Anne Goodman, one of the group's more active members, passed away two weeks ago after an extended illness.
Among the homemade refreshments was Goodman's famous chocolate pistachio coffee cake. Just before her death, she asked another member to be sure to make it and take it to the baby shower.
"We all know that Annie's here in spirit," one of the women said.
There's a lot about military newborns that happens in spirit. Many first-borns come into the world when Dad is thousands of miles away. It's especially hard during war because homecoming dates change often.
"If you know it's going to be eight months, you can deal with it," Wedlow said. "But when it keeps getting changed and you get your hopes up, it's hard."
After an hour or so, the women loaded the gifts into the back of Wedlow's sport utility vehicle, packing it to the roof. Such generosity is always a bright spot, Wedlow said.
"The only good thing about the war is the people who come out to give," she said. "Like there could be anything good about the war."
Anyone who would like to donate items to Nellis' family services can call 652-6070.
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