March for Babies is Saturday
March for Babies, formerly WalkAmerica, takes place Saturday morning at Catawba College’s Shuford Stadium.
Begun in 1970, the annual event is now the March of Dimes’ biggest fundraiser and supports research and programs to find the causes and methods of preventing premature births and other serious threats to infant health.
More than half a million babies are born too soon every year. Many die, and more than 120,000 babies are born with serious birth defects that can mean a lifetime of disability.
The March for Babies takes place in more than 1,100 communities across the country, with over half a million walkers expected this year.
In Salisbury, the event starts at 9 a.m., with walker check-in.
The officials walk starts at 10 a.m. and lasts as long as the last walker needs to complete 3.1 miles. Organizers say everyone is usually going home by 12:30 p.m.
Retired Catawba Professor Dr. Karl Hales is serving as the local March for Babies chairman.
Organizations that have committed teams from the city of Salisbury, Rowan-Salisbury School System, Livingstone College and Hitachi Metals NC.
Dillard’s distribution center, Norandal USA and the Salisbury Post are supporting the walk, and nearly 200 walkers, including county commission Chairman Arnold Chamberlain and Ambassador Saybrin Thomas have signed up to walk.
You can register by going online to www.marchforbabies.org or by calling 1-828-464-8905.