Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

Twenty-Fourth Annual March for Babies April 12

Story by Corinne Saunders

“Research, education, advocacy and support—all of that is part of our mission to improve the health of all babies,” said Kristy Mast, March of Dimes Carolina Foothills community director.

The March of Dimes’ biggest fundraiser, formerly known as WalkAmerica, was renamed March for Babies this year, to reflect the organization’s expanded mission.

In the past, the organization was solely focused on combating infant mortality and improving the health of babies who were born premature or with birth defects; beginning this year, March of Dimes seeks to improve the health of all babies, Mast said.

Registration for the High Country’s March for Babies will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 12, at Durham Park on ASU’s campus—across the street from the Holmes Convocation Center—and the walk starts at 10:00 a.m.

Participants will follow Rivers Street to Depot Street, turn onto King Street and then loop back to Durham Park on U.S. Hwy 321. Alpha Delta Pi will run a spirit station on Rivers Street, passing out water and goodies to walkers, and the downtown Boone Drug will provide a similar station.

Lunch will be served after the walk, at 11:00 a.m., and walkers are invited to bring blankets and stay at the park for as long as they like, Mast said. A Kids’ Zone will be set up with fun activities for children, and Yosef and the ASU cheerleaders will be there as well.

Mast expects approximately 250 walkers to participate in the walk, including 85-year-old Celia Trivette, a Boone resident who is the 74th top individual fundraiser in the nation.

The Student Athlete Advisory Board at ASU formed a team for the first time this year, and High Country Mommies members will also participate in the walk, as they have done for years, Mast said.

“A lot of businesses in the High Country organize teams,” Mast said. “Walking as a group helps build camaraderie in the office.”

Registration is still open for anyone interested in participating in March for Babies.

The goal is to raise $55,000 for the April 12 March for Babies and “we’ve always exceeded our goals,” Mast said.

For the third year in a row, Appalachian Regional Health Department has received $45,000 in grant money from March of Dimes, and more than $3 million is channeled back into North Carolina for research related to the March of Dimes’ mission, she said.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt founded the March of Dimes in 1938 by to eradicate polio.

“Once we found a vaccine for that, it started focusing on infant mortality, prematurity and birth defects,” Mast said. The walks are held all over the country and began in 1970, she added.

“It’s going to be fun and exciting,” Mast said. “We can’t wait to see people at the walk.”

For more information or to register and obtain fundraising forms, click to www.marchforbabies.org or call the March of Dimes office in Conover at 828-464-8905.

Want To Go?

Date: Saturday, April 12
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Durham Park
Cost: Donation/sponsorship