| UAW and Big Three Support WalkAmerica. Local Celebrities, Corporate Leaders, and Student Athletes to be Recognized. Meet March of Dimes National Ambassador!
WHAT: United Auto Workers, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, and Ford Motor Company join efforts to support WalkAmerica 2007. Corporate leaders from the Metro Detroit area will lead a half-mile walk in recognition of the kick-off to WalkAmerica, March of Dimes largest fundraiser. Also being recognized are the 12 finalists for the Michigan High School Athlete of the Year award. And Zeek Taylor, of Durham, North Carolina, who was selected as the March of Dimes National Ambassador for 2007 will be present.
WHO: Ron Gettelfinger, UAW President
Representatives from Big Three Automotive Companies
UAW Vice Presidents
March of Dimes Ambassador family
WHEN: Tuesday, March 13, 2007. Media interviews will begin at 8 a.m. The program begins at 9 a.m.
WHERE: Program will be held at the Detroit Athletic Club.
Half-mile walk starts at Detroit Athletic Club and will continue through downtown Detroit area.
WHY: Whose baby will be next? One in eight babies is born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) in this country, many without warning and for no known cause, according to the March of Dimes. Prematurity is the leading cause of newborn death (in the first month of life) and babies who do survive often face chronic health problems and developmental disabilities for the rest of their lives.
In 2003, the March of Dimes launched a five-year, $75 million national campaign to educate women of the signs and symptoms of preterm labor, raise funds to conduct needed research and reduce the rate of premature birth by 15 percent by 2007.
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org.
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