| Nearly 7,000 walkers in Oregon and Southwest Washington stepped out and raised more than $1 million during the 35th Annual WalkAmerica, held in 19 sites on April 30 and May 7. This money will fund March of Dimes research and programs to prevent premature birth. Currently, one out of every 10 babies born in Oregon and Southwest Washington comes too soon. Prematurity is the leading cause of newborn death, and a major cause of lifelong disabilities.
WalkAmerica is sponsored nationally by Kmart, CIGNA, Discovery Health Channel, Famous Footwear, Farmers Insurance, FedEx, Mead Johnson Nutritionals, Arm & Hammer Dental Care, and Prevention Magazine. Chapter sponsors include KATU, KinderCare Learning Centers, KeyBank, First Tech Credit Union, Dex, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Big 5 Sporting Goods, JELD-WEN, Marriott Hotels, Bi-Mart, and Pacific Coast Restaurants.
WalkAmerica was the first walking event of its kind in the nation, and is the largest fundraiser for the March of Dimes. This year, more than one million people participated in 1,500 communities across the country. |
