| Olympia, Washington – On April 24, 2004, Thurston and Lewis County residents will turn out in support of research and programs to help save babies from premature birth. March of Dimes WalkAmerica begins at 7:30 a.m. at Pioneer Elementary School, setting hundreds of walkers in motion to give babies a fighting chance at life.
Prematurity affects one in eight babies, and it’s a leading cause of newborn death. Nearly half of all premature births happen for unknown reasons. By walking and raising money in WalkAmerica, anyone can support March of Dimes efforts to help babies be born healthy right here in Washington.
Thurston and Lewis County residents can get involved in WalkAmerica by walking as individuals, forming corporate teams, pledging donations to walkers, or volunteering on Walk Day. There’s still time to join WalkAmerica by calling 1-800-231-5245 or logging on to the new online fundraising tool at www.walkamerica.org. Registered walkers are invited to participate in a WalkAmerica kickoff luncheon and rally on Wednesday, February 25th at the Tumwater Valley Golf Club.
The 2004 WalkAmerica route is approximately six miles in length, with checkpoints and goodies along the way. Then participants proceed back to Pioneer Elementary School for a finish line celebration.
The official WalkAmerica start time is 8:00 a.m., with registration and team photos starting at 7:30 a.m. Approximately 450 people are expected to take part as company teams or as individuals.
Major sponsors include KeyBank, The Olympian, KIRO 7 Eyewitness News, KMPS, KISS-106.1, and 96.5 KROCK. WalkAmerica is supported by national sponsors CIGNA, Kmart, Famous Footwear, and Discovery Health Channel. Registration forms will be available at all locations of KeyBank. They will also be available at Sleep Country USA and Bartell Drugs starting in mid-March.
Volunteers hope to raise over $1.6 million in donations through walks in Washington this year. In addition to the Thurston County site, WalkAmerica will take place in Pierce, King, and Kitsap counties, all on Saturday, April 24.
In 2003 the March of Dimes launched a $75 million, five-year national prematurity campaign to increase awareness of the growing problem and decrease the rate of premature birth. The March of Dimes is the voluntary health agency whose mission is to
improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education and advocacy to save babies.
Contact: Susan McAbee, South Sound Community Director
800-231-5245 |
