March for Babies 2011-Family Teams

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Our 2011 March for Babies Stars!!!

It's been a great year and we would like to thank some very special people that made the 2011 March for Babies so successful!  We had more teams out for the walk this year than in prior years and we saw a 33% increase in donations raised!  Great Job Dallas Family Teams! 

We are so thankful to each family team for everything you do to bring awareness, raise money for the cause, and represent the face of this mission.  We do everything we do for families just like yours!

Our Top 20 Teams as of May 25th are:

Plano NICU Parents

Team Grace - Dallas

Heart's Content

Team Truman

Cinco

Team Harpster

B4B

Parkland NNICU

Omicron Sigma1914

Rynes Rockstars

Aron Family

The Preemie-um Team

Lily's Team

Beck POWER Walkers

Running for Aidan

Miracle Alex

Pocketful of Miracles

The Babey Savers

Gopal Gang

Leyton's Village

Our Top 10 Family Team Walkers as of May 25th are:

Tracy Sievers - Heart's Content

Kara Price - Team Truman

Karen & Jack Rynes - Rynes Rockstars

Lori Aron - Aron Family

Katie Smith - Lily's Team

Grace Green - Team Grace - Dallas

Shannon & Lou Miramontes - Plano NICU Parents

Christina Williamson - Team Emma & Joshua

Audra Murphy - The Preemie-um Team

Cindy Guthrie - Plano NICU Parents

We do not close out the 2011 March for Babies totals until the end of November.  If you don't see your team name in the Top 20 but would like to be there, it's not too late.  Many of our teams continue to fund raise throughout the year!

March for Babies-themed FedEx Car to be at March for Babies!

Preemies, Jake and Josh Aron, helped design the FedEx car to represent March for Babies this year!  The boys had a blast working with the designers! 

We are thrilled to share with you the incredible experience Jake and Josh had this past weekend with the March for Babies-themed NASCAR. Just click over to the new page on the Aron family's website with all the details, including links to more pictures, video and audio: http://jakeandjosh.net/NASCAR.aspx

Be sure to look for the March for Babies FedEx car in front of the Family Teams Tent!

March for Babies Day Info

March for Babies is just a few days away and we're so excited!

Here's some answers to the most frequently asked questions:

What do I need to bring?-Strollers (if needed) – this is a long walk for little ones and we accommodate for strollers on the shuttle buses and at the park. (please no bikes or roller blades)
-Sunscreen – forecast calls for a sunny day. Time to break out the sunscreen and sunglasses!
-Water – there will be water at the tent afterwards and along the walk path at checkpoints, but it is always a good idea to bring your own.
-Snacks – you will want to bring snacks especially if you have little ones. We will have lunch provided after the walk but there won’t be any snacks passed out along the way.
-Cash/Check Donations and Sponsor Form – Please bring any cash and check donations to the Family Teams Tent either before or after the walk. Please print off your Sponsor Form to ensure that the donations are posted to the correct team. You MUST have your Sponsor Form in order to pick up your incentive t-shirt for those that have raised over $200.
-Tennis Shoes – you will want to wear tennis shoes for this event. The walk route is 5 miles, so good comfortable shoes are a must!

How do I get to the park?
Please see Parking Info sheets. We have 3 locations you can park. They are Valley View Mall (see map for parking area to use), Mockingbird and White Rock DART stations. Please allow 30 minutes to park and ride the free shuttles to the park. Buses start at 7am from each location and end at 2pm. Get to your parking location EARLY to allow enough time for you to fully enjoy the pre-walk festivities. There will be vendor tents along Baby Boulevard passing out freebies and lots of fun tents to see!

Where do I go when I get to the park?
Please see Norbuck Park Tent Map. You will see that #5 is the Stage which is right next to the Start/Finish Line. This is where you need to be at 8:30am. The Preemie Pit is right by the stage and will be where all Family Teams are meeting. Allow enough time to stroll down Baby Boulevard (along the top of this map) and enjoy the music coming from the stage. Opening Ceremonies begin on the stage at 8:45am.

What happens during the walk?
The walk begins promptly at 9am! Be at the front of the line and enjoy the 5 mile walk along White Rock Lake. For those with small children that are unable to walk the whole 5 miles, we have a 1 mile turn around called the “Tiny Tot Turn Around”. This allows you to enjoy the walk but also still be close to the park. There are 7 checkpoints (including the Tiny Tot Turn Around) along the walk route where people will be passing out water and many of these stops have portable restrooms. Be sure to enjoy the Path of Hope signs along the walk route!

What happens after the walk?
Please head back to the Family Teams Tent (#17 on the Tent Map) when you pass the Finish Line. The Family Teams Tent has moved to a NEW LOCATION this year straight back before Baby Boulevard! Please be sure your walkers are aware of this new location and that they all have the Tent Map for reference. We will have sandwiches, chips, water, and cookies at the Family Teams Tent for lunch! We will have some fun things going on at the tent when you get back from the walk! You can also turn in your Cash and Check Donations at this time and receive your incentive t-shirt if you’ve raised over $200.

Come join us for a great day to walk for all babies!

Family Team Highlight - Team Cinco

We have a Family Team called "Team Cinco" that has raised over $7,000 in the past three years. They walk in honor of Clifton Owen Brown V, or as his parents call him "V". Little V surprised his parents, Cliff and Mandy Brown by coming 15 weeks early at 2lb2oz. After several months in the NICU and many of the ups and downs that preemies endure, V came home to his family. He is now a healthy and happy 2 year old that has the cutest mohawk you've ever seen!

Cliff and Mandy Brown told V's story recently at a Farmer's Insurance Kickoff. Farmer's Insurance is one of our biggest sponsors and the employees were inspired by hearing their story. Thanks to the Brown Family for sharing V with us and giving back in such a great way!

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Follow the Dallas and Fort Worth Divisions of March of Dimes using these two social media options: On Twitter : Search for @MOD_DFW On Facebook: Search for March of Dimes, Dallas & Fort Worth Divisions https://www.facebook.com/pages/March-of-Dimes-Dallas-Fort-Worth-Divisions/210060012354578?ref=ts

Texting for Babies!

Texting can actually help babies! Letting your baby text using your cell phone is not what we mean, of course! By texting the word "B-A-B-Y" to 20222, you can help the March of Dimes fund research, help families and educate moms so that all babies get a healthy start! For each text a $5 donation will be added to your phone bill. Again, that's text "B-A-B-Y" to 20222.

Now is the Time for Last Minute Fundraising!!

Congratulations to our Top 12 Family Teams as of April 1st!

Plano NICU Parents

Heart's Content

Team Truman

Team Grace-Dallas

Parkland NNICU

Beck POWER Walkers

Rynes Rockstars

Omicron Sigma1914

Aron Family

Team Harpster

Faith In Action

B4B

Let's also recognize our Top 12 Family Team Walkers!

Tracy Sievers

Kara Price

Karen & Jack Rynes

Lori Aron

Tami & Jeff Spittler

Paul & Jean Bailey

Shannon and Lou Miramontes

Katie Smith

Delyn Ramey

Mario Bryant

Cindy Guthrie

Audra Murphy

If you have not made this list, there's still time to get there! Most people donate to a cause the week or so before an event is held. So, now is the time to send out those last minute emails asking for donations, post your link as your status on Facebook, and lock down anyone that has mentioned donating but has not done so yet!

Thanks to everyone for working so hard to make the 2011 March for Babies the best yet!

Linda Bailey

Family Teams Specialist

Our Family Teams Give Back in So Many Ways!!

The Aron Family has been a Family Team in March for Babies since 2005. They were inspired to give back when their twin sons, Jake and Josh, were born prematurely at 1lb 2 oz each. In the many years they have been a part of March for Babies, they have raised over $40,000 for the March of Dimes!

Jake and Josh are doing great and are healthy and happy 9 year olds now. Josh is taking piano lessons and Jake is counting the days until he's eligible to try out for "American Idol"!

The boys recently flew up to Charlotte to help design the March of Dimes Edition of the FedEx car to be unveiled when it rolls off the truck at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth on Thursday, April 7th. The car will be in action for the race here that Saturday night!

The twin's older brother, Zac, has been inspired by his very giving family to create a charity of his own. While his family has raised money for years to ease the suffering of babies in the NICU, Zac is working to help ease the suffering of teens that also find themselves in the hospital.

Jaime Aron explains below how you can be a part of such a special way to give back:


Would you like to help make a long hospital stay a little less boring for a sick teen? All it takes is gathering up the old iPods or any other electronics laying around your home. Our 13 year old has started an organization called "Tunes for Sick Teens", to turn your old gizmos into a new iPod Touch for a sick, needy teenager. We've already given away three, and hope to help many more! For details about our group, check out http://www.tunesforsickteens.com/ ; for more details on the trade-in program, check out www.TunesForSickTeens.com/howtohelp.aspx .

Let's help this young man make a difference in so many people's lives!

Fundraising Idea of the Week - #2!

Garage Sale!!

Spring is coming and with that there is warmer weather on the way! Many family teams hold a garage sale and donate the proceeds to their March for Babies team. If you have a child that wants in on the action, set up a little table for them and have them fund raise too!

This past fall, I set up a table at our garage sale for my 4 year old daughter and she helped raise money by selling her extra stuffed animals and selling snacks. Many people bought items from her and many others simply donated for the cause.

This is a great way to raise money while also raising awareness for the mission of the March of Dimes!

If you have a great idea that has worked for your team, please email me at LBailey@marchofdimes.com and you and your team could be featured in the next edition of "Fundraiser of the Week!"


Linda Bailey
Family Teams Specialist

Fundraising Idea of the Week!!

Congratulations to Audra Murphy of The Preemie-um Team for obtaining the first Gold Sponsorship for Family Teams! We would also like to thank Benchmark Bank for sponsoring the 2011 March for Babies Family Teams. Your sponsorship means so much to these families and to the March of Dimes.

If you are interested in asking a local company for a sponsorship like Audra has, please contact Linda Bailey at LBailey@marchofdimes.com. This process is very easy and a wonderful way to fund raise for your team! We offer three sponsorship levels, Bronze ($250), Silver ($500), or Gold ($750) and each sponsor will receive name recognition on a banner at the Family Teams Tent on March for Babies Day!

Path of Hope

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Many of you are familiar with the Path of Hope, the signs In Honor or In Memory of children that line the March for Babies path. These signs are very special to the March of Dimes and we know they are very special for you. These children are the faces of the March of Dimes mission to ensure that one day, ALL babies will be born healthy!

We love honoring those children that have been your little fighters, overcoming the odds to be with you today. It is also very special to us to remember the children that did not survive. The "In Honor Of" signs show us how far the March of Dimes has come to ensure the health of babies and the "In Memory Of" signs show us just how much further we need to go so that one day no family has to lose a child due to illness, birth defects, or premature birth.

There is a group of 6 women called the Good Grief Group that gather together each year to create the Path of Hope signs, as they remember the 5 children they lost due to prematurity. They want to honor and remember your children too, as does the March of Dimes.

This video is a photo montage of my family team from last year Plano NICU Parents but it clearly demonstrates the meaning behind the Path of Hope.

We hope your family will join us this year by submitting a donation of $20 at http://www.marchforbabies.org/pathofhopedallas
and sending your child's information in to :
LBailey@marchofdimes.com
for a sign to be made...you can bring hope to other families...your child can be the face of the mission to others...you can make a real difference in the hearts of every walker on April 16th. Join us along the Path of Hope!

Family Team T-Shirts

Hello Family Team Captains-

Here is some information for you about recommended vendors for Family Team T-shirts. We look forward to seeing all of your brightly colored team shirts at March for Babies 2011!

National Family Teams T-shirt Info - go to www.eagraphics.com and select the March for Babies button. Then, go to the Family Teams section. You can order shirts with the official Family Teams design on the front and pay a little more to personalize shirts on the back.

Local T-Shirt Vendor - To design your own shirts, you can use a local vendor of your choice. One that we recommend is www.trendyexpressions.com . The toll-free number is (800) 657-1239 and Melissa Sanches is the contact person there. Please mention the March of Dimes when you call.


Linda Bailey
Family Teams Specialist

Welcome 2011 March for Babies Family Teams!!

I would like to welcome you all to the 2011 March for Babies! We are excited about this year's March for Babies, being held on Saturday, April 16th, 2011 at White Rock Lake. This blog will be a resource you can use for the next few months to obtain vital information about all things related to March for Babies 2011. There will be information and tips about fund raising, submission guidelines for the Path of Hope, as well as parking and tent information as we get close to April 16th.

My name is Linda Bailey and I am the Family Teams Specialist for this year's campaign. I am here to help you with anything you may need along the way. You can contact me by email at LBailey@marchofdimes.com or by phone at 972-232-1370.

I look forward to meeting you all and walking with you at the 2011 March for Babies!


Linda Bailey
Family Teams Specialist