KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

The city of Tullahoma officially installed a Safe Haven Baby Box (SHBB) at Fire Station 1 this past week, making it the 12^th Safe Haven Baby Box in the state and 273^rd in the country.

The installation and blessing of the baby box took place Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Fire Station 1, located at 613 S. Jackson St., where several residents, firemen and elected officials attended. According to Fire Chief Kenneth Pearson, the process of installing the baby box began in March following the unanimous approval from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen at the time.

“It’s been a long process, we’ve done a lot of work to get it done at this point,” Pearson said. “We’ve had some training, we’ve learned some new things and hopefully if this saves one baby it would have been well worth the time and effort that we put into it.”

Mayor Lynn Sebourn took to the podium and said he was very excited about having the baby box, as it was personal for him as he adopted his son, and recalled sitting across from a young lady “making a hard decision”.

 “It’s good, in my opinion, that we provided an option for someone who may be facing a hard decision that will keep a baby safe,” Sebourn said.

He said he appreciated Pearson, SHBB and members of the previous BoMA for approving to have the baby box. City Administrator Jason Quick echoed Sebourn’s sentiments and said when he thought about Tullahoma he thought about community, and when he thought about community he thought about people loving and taking care of each other.

“I can’t think of no better way for our city to make sure that we are taking care of someone who may be in need than with this (baby box) right here,” Quick said. “When it comes to loving people and taking care of people there is nobody better than Tullahoma who can do that.”

Quick then thanked former aldermen Derick Mann and Daniel Berry for their votes in making the baby box happen, and welcomed Mann to the podium to address attendees.

Mann said it was a great day to celebrate as Tullahoma joined the other cities who have over 250 baby boxes in service. Mann thanked the city for letting him be a part of something that was special to him. He recalled receiving an email this past spring from resident Shaylen Seig who was upset following the arrest of two parents who were charged with first degree murder for the death of their four-month-old son from malnutrition.

“Like all of you, I was terribly bothered but as time passed we moved on, but not Shaylen,” Mann said. “She did what the best of us would do: she thought of how she could make a difference from this awful loss.”

Mann said in her email, she asked if the city would consider having a Safe Haven Baby Box where mothers can, for whatever reason, surrender their baby where it would be anonymous and safe for the baby. He said he so impressed with the idea he didn’t finish reading the email and called her.

“When you’re an elected official, there is no shortage of folks ready to complain or criticize, that’s just part of it, but here was someone new to the community, wanting to work with our city to better it, coming up with a solution with an idea and a passion to see it though.”

Shortly after talking with Seig, Mann said he reached out to Pearson, and before he finished his pitch Pearson told him the fire department had already been looking into it.

“That’s the Tullahoma Fire Department: always ready, always ahead of the game,” Mann said.

Pearson told Mann the fire department had the information and contacts, it was just waiting for the next budget to present it to the board. Mann said after talking with both Pearson and Quick they decided to not wait for the next budget and had the item ready on the agenda and Seig addressed the board with her petition, which had garnered over 140 signatures. The board would unanimously approve to install the baby box.

 “It was exactly how it should be,” Mann said. “Citizen solutions and efforts made into reality by public servants to better our city, coming together to protect and potentially save the most vulnerable little lives, to give those children, who have been given up, the hope of adoption, of a better future and a loving family to share it with.”

Mann said one of the reasons he was honored to play a small part was because his mother was adopted, and her adopted parents, his grandparents, gave her love and life.

“While I hope this life changing service is never needed,” Mann said, “if it is it will always be my prayer that every child is blessed with the same wonderful, loving family that through adoption that my mother, and all of us in my family, were so fortunate enough to have.”

Mann thanked Quick, city staff, both previous and current BoMA, and the fire department for their parts of making the Safe Haven Baby Box happen. He also thanked Seig, who was not able to attend, for reminding the community what good things happens when citizens step up and work with city officials

“Her ambition, big heart and courage was an example to all of us and without it we aren’t be standing here today,” Mann said. “God bless each of you who made it possible, God bless those who will keep it going and God bless the city of Tullahoma.”

Pearson introduced Jessi Getrost, executive assistant with SHBB, and said they would be blessing baby box #12 in the state and #273 in the nation. Getrost said she’s known founder Monica Kelsey for many years and recalled how Kelsey was inspired to create Safe Haven Baby Box after flying from an international trip.

“I’ve been honored to watch from the beginning her dedication, her persistence and passion for these innocent lives,” Getrost said. “She’s raised awareness and educated as many people as she can not only on the Safe Haven Law but also on the Safe Haven Baby Boxes.”

Getrost then shared the story of Kelsey’s birth mother, who was attacked and raped at 17, abandoned her at a hospital two hours after she was born.

“She stands on the front line as one of these infants, she’ll continue to make it her life mission to fight for this cause,” Getrost said.

Getrost thanked Tullahoma for letting SHBB for cutting a hole into the fire department, as well as thanking Seig for presenting SHBB to the city, city officials and the fire department before introducing Grace Baptist Church Pastor Tim McGehee to bless the box. After the blessing, Getrost welcomed attendees to view the box from the inside of the building to learn more how it operated.

For more information about SHBB, visit shbb.org.