In mid-December, a couple from Elk Horn made a generous donation to The Birth Place at St. Anthony Regional Hospital. Amber and Jim McCarthy brought in 189 new infant hats in memory of their three-year-old daughter, Ayzlee, who passed away from influenza on Dec. 29, 2014. They are sharing the hats as part of an influenza immunization awareness campaign, encouraging new parents to get their children vaccinated against the flu. The couple donated about 400 hats made by volunteers to several local hospitals in west central Iowa. They plan to return to St. Anthony next year with even more hats for the newborns.
