Hundreds of people walked through downtown Traverse City with their strollers for the annual March for Babies.
It’s one of March of Dimes’ signature fundraising events.
It took place Saturday morning at the Grand Traverse County Civic Centre.
9&10’s Megan Woods has more details on why March for Babies holds a special place in many locals’ hearts.
“We are raising money to help moms and babies live healthier, stronger lives.”
March of Dimes is a national foundation, but the March for Babies makes it more personal.
Executive director of West Michigan March of Dimes, Ginger Feldman says,”One in eight families actually have been touch by the mission of March of Dimes: either premature births, an infant loss or a birth defect. So it’s amazing when you start talking about the mission how many families have actually experienced something.”
Local families participated, like Katelyn Lamie’s who created Team Colton Bug for her son.
But he wasn’t the only little one on their minds during the stroll.
Lamie says, “I was born premature, my son was born premature, both of my nieces were born premature, all of us were in the NICU up at Munson here in Traverse. It just touches home you know.”
So helping raise thousands for the cause came naturally.
Lamie says, “My son was in the NICU for a while and all the funds that go to taking care of those babies I think that’s very very important you can’t put a price on that.”
March for Babies Traverse City’s goal was to raise $80,000.
And even though they only reached to about $65,000. The funds raised will go a long way.
Ginger Feldman says, “That money will continue to be used to end things like autism, things like diabetes, SIDS, miscarriage all kinds of things, we’re looking into as well as doing partnerships with Munson here to provide top notch education for our doctors and nurses.”
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