March for Babies
Encyclopedia
The March of Dimes
's March for Babies, formerly WalkAmerica, began in 1970 as the first charitable walking event in the United States. The name was changed after the 2007 event.
March for Babies is held in 1,100 communities across the nation. Every year, 7 million people, including 20,000 company and family teams as well as national sponsors, participate. The event has raised more than $1.7 billion since 1970.
According to the March of Dimes, proceeds help fund research to prevent premature birth
s, birth defects and infant mortality
. Every year, more than half a million babies are born prematurely and more than 120,000 are born with serious birth defects in the United States.
Seventy-six cents of every dollar raised in March for Babies is spent on research and programs to help prevent premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality.
occurred in San Antonio, Texas, on October 7, 1970, followed by similar walks in Ohio at Columbus on November 14 and Mentor (Lake County) on November 15. The weather conditions at the Columbus walkathon were depicted as "absolutely miserable [with] rain, cold and bone chilling winds, which did not abate at all during the walking period." Yet the 500 walkers at Columbus pledged $64,687 to the March of Dimes, engendering a fund-raising methodology that quickly became national in scope and that perpetuated the enthusiasm of volunteers on which the foundation built its reputation. By 1974, 95% of March of Dimes chapters participated in the event, accounting for more than $14 million in revenue, some billing it as the "March of Dimes Super-Walk". Successful walkers received the Order of the Battered Boot certificate for their participation, and the foundation created a film, The Big Walk (1973), to document and promote the event.
In 1979, the March of Dimes incorporated TeamWalk, inviting participation by teams of employees from other corporations, into the March for Babies strategy. On April 26, 1981 the foundation held the first walk occurring nationally on the same day billed as WalkAmerica and has since kept the tradition of holding the event on the last weekend in April. In 1991, Lee Iacocca
, Chairman of the Chrysler Corporation, was the Honorary National March for Babies chairman. With increasing sophistication in promotion and marketing, each campaign was given a theme (and slogan) that merged fund-raising and mission objectives. Experience WalkAmerica was the campaign in 1991, followed by Walk for Healthier Babies (1993), Walk for Someone You Love (1995), and Be A Hero for the Tiniest Babies (2002) among others. March for Babies advertising and promotional literature thus became standardized around mission-related themes of perinatal health.
In 1989, Tony Choppa became National Director of March for Babies and has further consolidated the foundation's fund-raising objectives on a national basis through central planning and chapter support. National corporate sponsors have included Lipton, Kellogg, K-Mart, Cigna, and Canon. The event has spawned wrap-around events to enhance fund-raising opportunities and spin-off events such as WonderWalk and WalkMania.
. "In 2002, the March of Dimes spent at least $10 million on experiments involving animals."
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
's March for Babies, formerly WalkAmerica, began in 1970 as the first charitable walking event in the United States. The name was changed after the 2007 event.
March for Babies is held in 1,100 communities across the nation. Every year, 7 million people, including 20,000 company and family teams as well as national sponsors, participate. The event has raised more than $1.7 billion since 1970.
According to the March of Dimes, proceeds help fund research to prevent premature birth
Premature birth
In humans preterm birth refers to the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age. The cause for preterm birth is in many situations elusive and unknown; many factors appear to be associated with the development of preterm birth, making the reduction of preterm birth a challenging...
s, birth defects and infant mortality
Infant mortality
Infant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births. Traditionally, the most common cause worldwide was dehydration from diarrhea. However, the spreading information about Oral Re-hydration Solution to mothers around the world has decreased the rate of children dying...
. Every year, more than half a million babies are born prematurely and more than 120,000 are born with serious birth defects in the United States.
Seventy-six cents of every dollar raised in March for Babies is spent on research and programs to help prevent premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality.
History
The very first March of Dimes walkathonWalkathon
A walkathon , walking marathon or sponsored walk is a type of community or school fundraiser in which participants raise money by collecting donations or pledges for walking a predetermined distance or course...
occurred in San Antonio, Texas, on October 7, 1970, followed by similar walks in Ohio at Columbus on November 14 and Mentor (Lake County) on November 15. The weather conditions at the Columbus walkathon were depicted as "absolutely miserable [with] rain, cold and bone chilling winds, which did not abate at all during the walking period." Yet the 500 walkers at Columbus pledged $64,687 to the March of Dimes, engendering a fund-raising methodology that quickly became national in scope and that perpetuated the enthusiasm of volunteers on which the foundation built its reputation. By 1974, 95% of March of Dimes chapters participated in the event, accounting for more than $14 million in revenue, some billing it as the "March of Dimes Super-Walk". Successful walkers received the Order of the Battered Boot certificate for their participation, and the foundation created a film, The Big Walk (1973), to document and promote the event.
In 1979, the March of Dimes incorporated TeamWalk, inviting participation by teams of employees from other corporations, into the March for Babies strategy. On April 26, 1981 the foundation held the first walk occurring nationally on the same day billed as WalkAmerica and has since kept the tradition of holding the event on the last weekend in April. In 1991, Lee Iacocca
Lee Iacocca
Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca is an American businessman known for engineering the Mustang, the unsuccessful Ford Pinto, being fired from Ford Motor Company, and his revival of the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s...
, Chairman of the Chrysler Corporation, was the Honorary National March for Babies chairman. With increasing sophistication in promotion and marketing, each campaign was given a theme (and slogan) that merged fund-raising and mission objectives. Experience WalkAmerica was the campaign in 1991, followed by Walk for Healthier Babies (1993), Walk for Someone You Love (1995), and Be A Hero for the Tiniest Babies (2002) among others. March for Babies advertising and promotional literature thus became standardized around mission-related themes of perinatal health.
In 1989, Tony Choppa became National Director of March for Babies and has further consolidated the foundation's fund-raising objectives on a national basis through central planning and chapter support. National corporate sponsors have included Lipton, Kellogg, K-Mart, Cigna, and Canon. The event has spawned wrap-around events to enhance fund-raising opportunities and spin-off events such as WonderWalk and WalkMania.
Controversy
March of Dimes uses money raised from this fund-raising event to fund animal testingAnimal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
. "In 2002, the March of Dimes spent at least $10 million on experiments involving animals."