Fort Smith man celebrates birthday with gift to newborns

Immaculate Conception parishioner, Ladies Auxiliary donate 24 blankets to Mercy Hospital

Published: May 19, 2022

By Maryanne Meyerriecks
Fort Smith Correspondent

Courtesy Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

Josie Garcia swaddles her newborn May 15 in a blanket donated by M.A. Day, which was made by the Ladies Auxiliary at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith. Each blanket features an embroidered rosary arranged in the shape of a little lamb and the words “15th Day Crew” to recognize donor M.A. Day’s May 15 birthday.

Courtesy Mercy Hospital Fort Smith

M.A. Day hasn’t forgotten that his mother Joan received a tiny bonnet from the Benedictine sisters at St. Scholastica Monastery when he was born.

As his 39th birthday approached, he decided to pay their kindness forward, buying two dozen hand-embroidered blankets for infants born at Mercy Hospital Fort Smith during his birth month.

He enlisted the help of Immaculate Conception Church’s Ladies Auxiliary to hem the fleece blankets. Joyce Becker designed and embroidered a rosary arranged in the shape of a little lamb and the words “15th Day Crew” to recognize Day’s May 15 birthday.

“My mother saved the bonnets for my brother and me,” Day said, “because when we got married, we were supposed to cut the bonnets open and use them for our wedding handkerchiefs. Sister Miriam (Hoffman, OSB) led the other sisters in making the bonnets, and when my brother and I went to Trinity (Junior High School) we would walk over to the monastery afterward and help Sister Miriam in the bakery. We became friends, and I still keep in touch with her.”

“Just one moment of listening to the Holy Spirit and (Day) was called to action aided by the wonderful group of dedicated ladies. Their faithfulness will provide new parents not only with the blankets for May 15 but has inspired Mercy Fort Smith to provide all new parents with swaddling blankets. (Day’s) ability to listen to the Holy Spirit is inspiring to us all and reflects the teachings of Vatican II.”

Day, an Immaculate Conception parishioner and member of Knights of Columbus Council 996, is not yet married but is an uncle and godfather to 20 children.

“My grandmother made afghans for all her grandchildren, and my mom, who remembered the bonnets the sisters had made for us, has been giving blankets to all the new babies born in our family.”

Auxiliary member Shelly Gilker offered the blankets to Mercy CEO Ryan Gehrig, who was inspired by Day’s gift to buy blankets for all babies delivered at the hospital.

In an email to Gilker, Gehrig wrote, “This has spurred us into purchasing Mercy-branded infant swaddling blankets, aka ‘sleep sacks,’ for all of our babies going forward. It’s actually a recommended best practice as part of the American Academy of Pediatrics Safe Baby program. … You and (Day) played a key role in us likely being upgraded from a bronze to a silver-level facility per AAP.”

On Day’s 39th birthday May 15, the first two of blankets were presented to new parents, and the hand-embroidered blankets will be presented to the next 23 babies born in May. Day plans to continue giving blankets to Mercy every May and would like to provide two dozen blankets each October in honor of his brother Ryan.

Day records the births of all the babies on the Koenigseder side of the family in the family history.

“There are 147 of us in the family book right now,” he said. “I am blessed beyond measure to have such a large loving family. If I get married, there will be a huge wedding shower and baby showers and lots of gifts. Not everyone will have that.”

Megan Mayeux, chaplain at Mercy Fort Smith’s Women’s Center, said, “Just one moment of listening to the Holy Spirit and (Day) was called to action aided by the wonderful group of dedicated ladies. Their faithfulness will provide new parents not only with the blankets for May 15 but has inspired Mercy Fort Smith to provide all new parents with swaddling blankets. (Day’s) ability to listen to the Holy Spirit is inspiring to us all and reflects the teachings of Vatican II.”

“It’s so nice to see a young person like (Day) reach out and share his blessings with the babies at Mercy,” Gilker said. “The auxiliary was happy to help with this project and thrilled to learn that now all newborn babies leaving Mercy will have a Mercy blanket to keep them warm.”

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