March for Babies kicks off with $53,000 goal in Lake City

LAKE CITY — The Greater Lake City Area March for Babies has kicked off its fundraising efforts toward a $53,000 goal, with challenges for each person involved to raise at least $200 each.

“Everyone here has felt the financial crunch this year … but our babies still keep coming too small (and) too soon, and some of them too sick, and some of them don’t make it,” local March for Babies Co-chairwoman Linda Godwin said during Thursday’s fundraising kickoff at the Lake City Public Library.

The March for Babies, which will take place May 1 in Lake City, helps fund research to prevent premature births and birth defects. It also supports community programs to help mothers have full-term pregnancies.

This year’s march is dedicated to the memory of KelbeyAnn Kelley, who lived 18 days after she was born with mosaic trisomy 18, a rare genetic disorder caused by an extra chromosome.

“The story is too new to talk about,” KelbeyAnn’s mother, Burnadene Kelley of Lake City, said about the loss of her daughter. She grew tearful along with Godwin and the March for Babies participants as she showed pictures of KelbeyAnn to the crowd.

Godwin said she became involved with the March for Babies nine years ago. Godwin said she was wondering what she could do for the effort — she had three babies, all of whom were healthy.

“Through the years, I’ve realized what I can do for the March of Dimes and what it has done for me,” she said. “It has opened my eyes and heart.”

Last year, Godwin’s granddaughter Katherine Middleton Burke suffered from a lung infection at the time of her birth. Katherine was blue and not breathing when she was born, Godwin said.

“The joy of being able to cut the cord didn’t happen,” Godwin said. “The doctors cut it, and away they went with Katherine.”

Katherine spent more than a week on oxygen and IV lines, but she came home eight days after her birth, Godwin said. Being involved in the March of Dimes helped Godwin know what to expect while her granddaughter was in the neonatal intensive care unit, she said.

Katherine celebrated her first birthday nearly a month ago and was present to wave to the participants at the end of Thursday’s fundraising kickoff.

Since 1970, the March for Babies has raised more than $1.8 billion to help women have healthy babies, and the Greater Lake City Area event raised $49,000 last year, Godwin said.

Godwin said a person might feel like he or she is setting a high bar by having a $200 individual goal, but that amount can be raised simply by getting 10 donors to give $20 apiece.

Small businesses, organizations and others who are interested in forming teams for this year’s March for Babies in Lake City should call Godwin at (843) 389-7181 or March of Dimes Community Director Coleen Sweatt at (843) 488-3463.

In the Greater Lake City area, the March for Babies is sponsored by presenting sponsor Martek Biosciences Corp. and corporate sponsors IGA and the Lake City News & Post.

IF YOU’RE GOING
WHAT: Greater Lake City Area March for Babies
WHEN: Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. May 1; event at 10 a.m. May 1
WHERE: Lions Park, off Charles Street in Lake City
INFO: Call local event Co-chairwoman Linda Godwin at (843) 389-7181 or March of Dimes Community Director Coleen Sweatt at (843) 488-3463

ON THE WEB
March for Babies

• www.marchofdimes.com/southcarolina
  
• www.nacersano.org