In order to represent
the Friends of GBC, a Community Advisory Board was formed in 2005.
They meet on a regular basis and discuss upcoming events and other
ways the volunteers and community can enrich the GBC and the
surrounding community. If you are interested in being on the
Community Advisory Board or attending a meeting, please contact us
at
info@greenhousebirthcenter.com. Please see below for our current
CAB and a little bit about them.
Pam Gower,
Board member 2006-present
Pam has been a high
school English teacher since 1996. Having her very own classroom
where she can connect with young adults through literature and
writing was a dream come true. Then, she married her husband Jeff
and wished for a house and dog. Once she had her cute little house
in the woods in Dansville and her cute little puppy named Waylon,
she thought all of her dreams had come true. A crazy beagle
(Charlie) and a delightful son (Weber) later, she realized that
miracles happen even when you don’t expect them.
She believes that
Greenhouse Birth Center is a magical place where wishes are granted.
She is determined to help as many families as possible to find their
fairy godmothers, Kip and Clarice. Birthing and participating in
activities at the center has given her the support and courage to be
the best mother she can be. She is so proud to be a part of the GBC
Board and is thankful for the opportunity to serve her community.
Amanda Grieshop,
Board Member 2008-present
Passionate about a woman's right to
birth naturally since giving birth at a freestanding birth center in
Topeka, Kansas in 2004, Amanda has recently joined the CAB as a
community member and Greenhouse Birth Center supporter. Amanda is
mother to Sam, 4 years, and Arlo, born at home in Washington State
in 2006 and wife to her best friend, Matt.
The Grieshop family moved to the Lansing area in September 2007
after
Matt accepted an Asst. Professor's position at MSU. As an at-home
mom, Amanda's days are spent laughing with her boys, chasing them
all over their 4 acres, knitting in the brief moments of down-time
and really enjoying life in Lansing.
Amanda believes that the Mid-Michigan community can only benefit
from a village like that of the Greenhouse Birth Center and is
thrilled to be a member of the CAB.
Shantana Goerge,
Board Member 2007-present
Shantana gave
birth to her son Fenton at the Greenhouse Birth Center in March
2007. She’s been giving birth to herself as a parent ever since. Her
family's journey to the GBC began with her being certain that she
wasn't "the kind of woman" who could give birth naturally: She was
afraid of needles. She fainted at the sight of blood. And she
couldn’t slay dragons with her bare hands. After a joyous water
birth at the birth center, she shares her story with anyone who will
listen.
She is a graduate of Michigan State University and was a county
health inspector in her former life. In her new vocation, she and
her son spend a lot of time at home, trying to recapture how her
Great-Grandmothers lived.
Fenton helps his mama with gardening, cooking, hanging clothes to
dry, splitting wood, food preservation and raising their chickens
Sophia and Duchess. She helps him crash toys into each other, and
build tall things to knock down.
She has been married to her soulmate since 2000, and is helping him
towards his own calling of becoming a minister. She tries to give a
little bit of time every day to who she is besides a mother.
She is still afraid of needles.
Fara McCune,
Board Member 2006-present
Fara is mother to
Liam, born January 2001, Finnian, born September 2003, and Fiona,
born December 2005. Finnian and Fiona were born at the Greenhouse
Birth Center. The fabulous experiences she has had with the GBC
midwives inspired her to become involved with the birth center’s
community of mothers and the Community Advisory Board. She and her
husband both work at Michigan State University. He is the art shop
coordinator for the ceramics and sculpture departments, and she is
the Operations supervisor for WKAR-TV. They have lived in Bath for
10 years. In her snippets of spare time she enjoys knitting,
sewing, reading, gardening, and singing Renaissance music.
Barbara
Roxas, Board Member 2007-present
Barbara and her husband,
Kevin, have lived in Lansing for nearly four years and have enjoyed
discovering many fun things to do in the greater Lansing area and
within the MSU campus. Kevin is a graduate student in the College of
Education at MSU working towards a doctorate in teacher education.
Prior to her son Kieran’s arrival, she also worked in the field of
education with children and families as a Montessori trained
educator for many years. First in her hometown of Minneapolis, then
Kobe, Japan, and most recently in Okemos, Michigan. She is currently
a stay-at-home mother to their son and enjoy assisting him to reach
his full potential. We enjoy spending time as a family and like to
garden, go for walks, swim, listen to music, read books, and just
hang out together.
She has been a part of
the GBC community since fall of 2005. First, she and her husband
took part in the birthing classes. Later, she and Kieran began
coming to the infant to pre-crawler group and others. It was a sigh
of relief to have found a wonderfully nurturing community of
like-minded people who share similar parenting styles. Her need to
connect with mothers and their children was obvious to her. What she
didn’t realize was just exactly what she would learn and how she
would be strengthened in her belief to follow a parenting philosophy
that is different from her family and most of all of her life-long
friends. She feels lucky to be a part of this supportive and
life-giving community.
Jaime Williams,Board Member 2005-present
Jaime is the mother of 3
wonderful children, two of which were born at the GBC. She has been
married to Adam since 1999. She is also a La Leche League leader
and is the leader for the Lansing Babywearing group, a non-profit babywearing group that teaches the benefits of babywearing as well
as how to use the different carriers available.
Jaime started
volunteering for the GBC after her second child was born during a
peaceful waterbirth in 2004. Since then she has had a passion for
getting the word out into the community about the GBC--a wonderful
alternative to having a baby in a hospital. She also feels that it
is important that the GBC community, often referred to as the
“Village”, is strong and available so that others have the support
of like-minded families on their parenting journey.
