Iva Bowers, the 2008 Colorado Mother of the Year, has more than 200 kids.
Bowers has given birth only twice, but she has mentored hundreds of young, at-risk mothers in hopes that her love will help another generation realize the blessing that is motherhood.
“Doing something to help kids is awesome,” Bowers said. “I love helping people because it is all about someone else, and the more you give, the more blessings you get.”
One blessing is a little dark-haired boy teething and gurgling in front of Bowers as she accepted her award from Colorado Mothers Inc. on Saturday. The baby’s mother, 17-year-old Joanna Stewart, a foster child from Colorado Springs, relies on Bowers for support.
“It feels good to know someone is reaching out to help me,” Stewart said.
Bowers, a 55-year-old who is originally from Colon, Panama, lives in Colorado Springs with her husband, a retired Army serviceman. Bowers has two children and one adopted son, and she has been mentoring unwed mothers and low-income families across the state for 14 years.
Bowers collects, cleans and irons baby and infant clothes for mothers and families, as well as provides them with furniture and the other necessities.
“Just because you don’t have the resources doesn’t mean you can’t still have beautiful things,” Bowers said. “Nothing is more wonderful than a new baby in a beautiful environment.”
Even as a young girl, Bowers knew her life would be centered around children. She said her father would give her a Mother’s Day card even though she didn’t have any children because he knew she would be a mother for a lot of people one day.
Aside from assisting unwed mothers, Bowers founded the Healing Gallery Ministry and started her own multicultural dance troupe in Colorado Springs.
She is a breast cancer survivor and a mother who has watched both a son and son-in-law serve in Iraq.
Bowers heads to Lincoln, Neb., this week where she will compete in the national 2008 Mother of the Year contest sponsored by the nonprofit group, American Mothers Inc.
Anna Haislip: 303-954-1638 or ahaislip@denverpost.com
