Tyler County Baby Fair blends free supplies, support services, community gathering

Diapers, baby gear and service referrals filled the Sistersville Elks ballroom as Tyler County’s annual Baby Fair returned to Sistersville on April 23, 2026. Backed by the Tyler County Family Support Center and the Tyler County Family Resource Network, the event mixed free supplies with a social setting that included door prizes and a complimentary lunch.

The format has become a useful local model. The Family Resource Network says it co-hosts the Community Baby Shower and Family Event each April with the Family Support Center, usually at the Elks Lodge, where pregnant women and mothers with children up to age four receive essential items at no cost. Vendors set up booths so families can learn about services and community resources, turning the fair into a one-stop stop for practical help rather than a simple giveaway.

That mix of celebration and support was on display again this year. The fair drew on grants and community donations to provide supplies, while local and regional partners helped staff the room and connect families to programs. Among the organizations listed were Wetzel Tyler Adult Learning Center, Westbrook Health Services, Memorial Health System, Parents as Teachers, WV Birth to Three, Necco-Parkersburg, Wellpoint, Community Resources, FDIC, Aetna Better Health of WV, Car Seat Safety, WV Jobs & Hope, Tyler County Prevention Coalition, and Sistersville Elks Lodge 333.

The event reflects a broader community-service network already in place in Tyler County. The Tyler County Family Support Center, at 615 Wells Street in Sistersville, says it offers playgroups, mom’s groups, special events, hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies and baby and child supplies. West Virginia’s Bureau for Family Assistance describes Family Support Centers as warm and welcoming places for families with children up to age 18 or for pregnant families.

The Baby Fair also fits a steady local pattern. In 2024, the Mother Baby Child Fair was held at the Sistersville Volunteer Fire Department on April 19 with the Family Support Center, the Family Resource Network and WV Partners in Prevention. In 2025, the third annual Family Affair moved to the Sistersville Elks Club on April 24, where families expecting a child or raising children under age four received a light lunch, refreshments, giveaways and door prizes, with funding help from the West Virginia Department of Human Services.

For Sistersville, the Elks Lodge at 333 Charles Street has become a familiar home for that work. The annual fair now functions as both a community gathering and a direct distribution point, giving Tyler County families access to supplies, services and the kind of personal connection that makes a small-town support system work.