Community Corner

Area March for Babies Raises $115,000

Corporate sponsors, teams and individual fundraisers who are helping the March of Dimes help babies recognized at opening ceremony

Rainy weather Saturday didn’t deter March of Dimes supporters from turning out for the Pickens County March for Babies.

“You’re here because you care about our babies and our families,” said WSPA’s Gordon Dill, who served as emcee along with Tracey Early. “A great cause on a gloomy day, which says a lot about all of you who are willing to come here when the weather’s not perfect. It shows you care about what you’re doing.”

Dill gave a preview of a later part of the opening ceremony’s script. 

Find out what's happening in Easleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Tracy has a sentence that has 15 exclamation points in it,” Dill said.

More than 4 million babies were born last year, and the March of Dimes helped each and every one through 75 years of research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs, Dill said.

Find out what's happening in Easleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“And none of that great work would have been possible without people like you,” he said.

In 1938, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made a simple request, asking every American to give a dime to help fight polio. That led to Dr. Jonas Salk developing the first polio vaccine.

“All your work makes all this possible,” Dill said.

That led to Tracey Early’s big announcement.

“Are you ready to hear how much you all actually raised together?” Early said. “The goal this year was $115,000. You did well above that - $115,000! That is awesome! $115,000, that will allow March of Dimes continue helping a lot of babies.”

Corporate partners for this year’s March for Babies campaign including presenting sponsor Best Chevrolet and Best Kia, KENTWOOL and Baptist Easley, Oconee Medical Center and Alice Manufacturing, Publix, Walmart and Fatz.

Their contributions will help the March of Dimes fund research to discover while some women are more at risk to have premature births than others, fund pre-natal classes for moms who don’t have health, insurance, support the development of NICUs – newborn intensive care units - and pass important legislation “to make sure that medical care to help sick babies is a right, not a privilege, in this county,” Early said.

Publix’s Jeremy Edwards spoke of his company’s commitment to the cause.

Publix began its partnership with March of Dimes in 1994,” Edwards said.

“We’ve raised over $40 million to support this great organization,” he said. “In 2012 alone, Publix associates and customers raised over $4.5 million for the March of Dimes. We truly are passionate about the March of Dimes and its mission to improve the health of all babies.”

Corporate sponsors were recognized for their generosity during the opening ceremony.

In addition to the corporate awards, individual awards were also given out.

Mattison Broome, Little Miss Clemson, gave out the award.

Lynn Porter with Comatrol/Sauer Danfoss has been one of the top fundraisers for the March for Babies. This year, Porter was recognized as the Number One Individual Fundraiser, as she raised $3,400 for this year’s campaign.

TJ Morgan of TJ’s Trotters was the Number One Youth Fundraiser. The Morgan Family is the 2013 March of Babies Ambassadors.  TJ’s Trotters was also named #1 Family Team.

Scott Ticknor with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office was named Volunteer of the Year.

Vicki Rogers with KENTWOOL received the 2013 Legacy Award. Rogers has served as a team captain for many years and works tirelessly on each year’s March for Babies campaign.

Circle of Champions are volunteers who raised over $1,000 each. This year’s inductees are Pam Durham with Suntrust, Billy Grant of Ft. Hill Natural Gas, Benji Robinson of Ft. Hill Natural Gas, Ronda Ambrose of Ft. Hill Natural Gas, Lynn Porter with Comatrol/Sauer Danfoss, Anatasia Morrison with Tigers for Babies Collegiate Council and KENTWOOL’s Vicki Rogers.

Collectively, these individuals raised over $12,000 for the campaign.

YH America was recognized as the #1 New Team, Publix won the #1 Retail Teaw and Shaw Industries won the #1 Manufacturing Team award

Shaw raised over $12,000 and was also recognized as the team that raised the most funds online. YH America also won the Best T-shirt Award.

Suntrust was recognized as the #1 Financial Team.

Fatz Cafe was named #1 Small Business team. Ami Smith and Tricia Logo with Fatz Cafe were named Team Captains of the Year.

“So many of you have gone above and beyond the call of duty,” Early told all the team captains. “We really wish we had something for all of you.”

Easley High School was named #1 school. 

“Easley raised $9,500 this year!” Early said.

“Volunteerism in alive and well,” said 2013 March for Babies Chairman Roddey Gettys. “We’re saving lives, we’re making babies’ lives better, you’re just helping everybody in the community. This is just awesome!”

After warming up by dancing the “Cupid Shuffle,” walkers then left Old Market Square for the 5-mile March for Babies. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Easley