Ryan’s Road Journal: Hudson Valley

At Milk for Thought, the town of Poughkeepsie has been on our radar from the very beginning!  We saw the local group spread the word and show a lot of enthusiasm for Latch On America and the big pink bus!  We knew this was going to be a great stop and even then, our expectations were blown away.  A parking lot was transformed into a breastfeeding festival.  There were more than 40 organizations under white tents providing a range of breastfeeding information, resources and support.  There was a special section for children with music, games and face painting.  With it being a hot summer Sunday, one of the most popular booths was one selling homemade ice cream … yum!

While a small community, the Hudson Valley is certainly passionate about supporting mothers.  Based on a lot of comments, it’s clear that a local store, Waddle n Swaddle, serves as a hub of classes, support and information.  

It was also very warming to see how one family played such a critical role in creating such a phenomenal event.  When we chose Poughkeepsie as a stop, I emailed with a local organizer and learned that her passion for breastfeeding came from her grandmother, who was one of the founders of the Poughkeepsie chapter of La Leche League.  She shared with me that her grandmother had recently passed away and one of the last things they talked about was Latch On America and how they both wanted the bus to come to Poughkeepsie.  Coincidentally, the date we chose was one of the dates that the family was considering hosting an event to tribute the contributions of the grandmother.  We know the organizer’s grandmother was there in spirit … she certainly inspired many members of her family to help create a fantastic event.

Special thanks to everyone who helped create a really special event!  We were excited to learn that whether or not there is a pink bus, this event will happen every year.  Be sure to send us an invite!

- Ryan