ETCHING LITTLE FEET INTO FUTURE : BABY FOOTPRINTS ENSHRINED AT A.V. HOSPITAL.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

When Laura Alameda and Jody Kahmann go to work at Antelope Valley Hospital, their children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren are there with them in a symbolic way.

The children's footprints are etched in silver medallions installed on the ``Footprints of the Future'' wall on the hospital's third floor, a new program where families can commemorate the arrival of new life and support the hospital at the same time.

``I did it for the children to see their footprints up here,'' said Alameda, 32, a medical records clerk, who has medallions of her two children, a niece and nephew on the wall. ``I was born here. I thought it would be neat for them. It's something they can show their children.''

For a contribution of $100, a baby's footprint is etched on a silver medallion measuring 3-1/8 inch in width, along with his or her name and birth date. The disc is fixed on a wall in the maternity ward.

The donor in turn receives a duplicate of the medallion, which includes a Lucite easel for displaying in the home or office. Or, the medallion can be turned into an etched glass Christmas tree ornament.

If other family members wish to have a footprint medallion, duplicates are available for $25.

The money raised from the wall will benefit the pediatric unit, the neonatal intensive care unit, labor and delivery and postpartum programs at the hospital.

``This is a program that's about giving. It's a gift of life,'' said Tess Enriquez, a development associate at the hospital. ``It enables parents, grandparents and friends to honor life and the arrival of a new baby.''

There are now 17 medallions on the wall, including one each for the quadruplets born June 24 to Diane and Robert Rowe, the first born at the hospital in its 41-year history. The wall was officially unveiled two weeks ago.

Kahmann, 43, who works in the medical records department, has medallions for three of her grandchildren, one of whom, Eric Harvey, died two weeks after he was born in 1992.

``I wanted something tangible on the wall for him,'' Kahmann said. ``It's a little memorial for Eric for us personally.''

The other medallions belong to two other grandchildren, Paige Harvey, 4, and Madison Harvey, 1.

``I've worked here for 13 years. The hospital is a big part of my life. I thought it was a neat idea, and the money goes to a good cause,'' Kahmann said.

Anyone born at Antelope Valley Hospital can become part of the footprints wall for the same contribution of $100. The donor simply has to furnish a copy of the birth certificate with a check and information.

Alameda wanted to have medallions for her children, ages 2 and 4, and her niece and nephew, ages 3 and 1, to help out the hospital's maternal and child program, which handles more than 4,500 births a year.

``They have a lot of babies. They need a lot of equipment,'' Alameda said. ``They really work hard and are all really great.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color in AV edition only) Laura Alameda, left, and Jody Kahmann look with pride at the Antelope Valley Hospital's Footprints of the Future display.

(2--color in AV edition only) Alameda points to the footprints of her two children, Taylor and Austin.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News