Welcome First Baby of 2026

Published on January 12, 2026

Baby girl River Marie Burdick was born on Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 3:55pm at South Peninsula Hospital, earning her the bragging rights of first baby delivered there in 2026. River weighed six pounds, 10 ounces, and was 19.5 inches in length. She is the first child of Amanda and Aaron Burdick of Homer, Alaska.

River arrived weeks earlier than expected, catching the Burdicks by surprise. The couple had just returned home from shopping and were putting the groceries away when Amanda’s water broke. They were at the hospital within the hour.

The Burdicks never imagined they would have the first baby of the new year, with a January 20 due date and the knowledge that 13 other women at their church were pregnant and due around the same time. Amanda and Aaron are overwhelmed with all the attention and generosity, and are so impressed with the whole experience. “The hospital stay was amazing, the food was phenomenal, and the gifts are insane. The nurses and midwives were truly a dream. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience!” said Amanda.

The Burdicks moved to Homer from Michigan just over three years ago. Like many other residents in this area, they came to see friends and decided stayed. Aaron recently opened Northern Summit Financial, a book keeping, accounting and financial analysis firm for small businesses. The Burdicks also own and operate Still Water Charters, a fishing charter business based in Homer. They love the area and have no plans of leaving any time soon. “Homer is amazing, can’t beat it!” said Amanda. Family members from out of state are arriving soon to celebrate River’s arrival.

The Burdicks were showered with over $1,000 worth of gifts and supplies which were generously donated by local businesses and community members as follows:

Homer Bookstore – gift card and paper lantern
Sprout – Bib, onesie, ball, books, washcloth
Northwind – teddy bear, onesie, counting & colors abacus toy
Yvonne Dunson – crocheted baby blanket
Twisted Goat – Gift Certificate
Homer Library – ABC of Kachemak Bay book
Homer’s Jeans – Lena James Onesie
Spenard Builders Supply – shovel, bucket, outlet covers, cabinet locks, Clorox wipes, gift certificate
Ulmer’s Drug and Hardware – GIANT BAG of baby stuff – blocks, dumbbell toy, stuffed animal, bus toy, diaper rash cream, Carhartt shorts, PJ set, pacifier packs, Nose Frida, snack cup
Grace Ridge – beanie and bottle
Oodalolly – stack toy and onesie
Bidarka Inn- Gift certificate for one night stay in the hot tub room
Stacey’s Coffee – Gift Card + glass tumbler
Kachemak Gear Shed – Gift Certificate
Classic Cook- Insulated bag, baby trainer truck plate, bottle brush, dish towels, stacking mixing bowls.
Cole’s Meat Market – Meat pack

For more information on the family birthing center at South Peninsula Hospital, contact Seaside Women’s Care at (907) 226-5630.

News & Updates

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End of Life Decision Making - recording now available

Thank you to the many community members who attended our free educational presentation, “End of Life Decision Making,” this spring! This event was originally scheduled for Fall 2025, and we appreciate everyone’s flexibility with the rescheduling. We were honored to have Homer Medical Center’s Dr. Giulia Tortora, local estate planning attorney Lindsay Wolter, and Hospice of Homer death doula Morgan Laffert lead this important conversation. Together, they covered key aspects of end-of-life planning, including living wills, medical power of attorney, legal and medical decision-making, and emotional considerations.
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Registration for the 10th annual Homer Steps Up community walking challenge (May 4 -31) opens April 15 on HomerStepsUp.com. Coordinated by South Peninsula Hospital, with support from numerous partnering agencies, the yearly challenge is designed to motivate the community to engage in more movement to help improve overall health as well as provide a fun, interactive community event as Homer transitions into summer.
Welcome First Baby of 2026

Baby girl River Marie Burdick was born on Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 3:55pm at South Peninsula Hospital, earning her the bragging rights of first baby delivered there in 2026. River weighed six pounds, 10 ounces, and was 19.5 inches in length. She is the first child of Amanda and Aaron Burdick of Homer, Alaska.

Welcome First Baby of 2026

Baby girl River Marie Burdick was born on Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 3:55pm at South Peninsula Hospital, earning her the bragging rights of first baby delivered there in 2026. River weighed six pounds, 10 ounces, and was 19.5 inches in length. She is the first child of Amanda and Aaron Burdick of Homer, Alaska.
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SPH Submits Letters of Interest to Rural Health Transformation Program

South Peninsula Hospital recently submitted Letters of Interest to the State of Alaska Rural Health Transformation Program, a five-year federal grant program to improve health care in rural areas across all fifty states. These letters are the first round of submissions, and are some of nearly 1,800 which were submitted from locations across Alaska. We expect to learn sometime in April, 2026 if any of our submittals are invited to complete full applications.
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