Candlewood Region to Join March of Dimes

WalkAmerica and the Campaign to Fight Premature Birth

WalkAmerica to Take Place Sunday, April 30 at Danbury City Center Green

Danbury, CT -- March of Dimes Candlewood Regional WalkAmerica, the popular fund-raising event, is taking place on Sunday, April 30 at the City Center Green in Danbury to help the March of Dimes fight prematurity – a growing crisis that now affects half a million babies born in the U.S. every year. The number of babies born prematurely each year has increased by 30 percent since 1983. In Connecticut, over 80 babies a week are born too soon. Premature birth is the leading killer of newborns and a major cause of disabilities.

WalkAmerica in Danbury will be a fun and exciting day for the whole family. Walkers can enjoy a variety of locally donated food, beverages and snacks, demonstrations by Zandri’s Martial Arts and goodie bags. Everyone can participate in the warm up before the walk and when they return musician Dave King will play songs live from his recently released CD “Shades of Dave.” Danbury mayor Mark Boughton will be on hand proclaiming April 30^th as March of Dimes WalkAmerica day! Festivities will be hosted by NAME of 98Q. Registration will begin at 9 am and the Walk will begin at 10 am.

The money raised in WalkAmerica supports the research and programs to find out how to prevent premature births and local programs that give hope and help families who experience it.

For more information about WalkAmerica, or to join the event at the Danbury city center green on Sunday, April 30, visit www.walkamerica.org or call 1-800-446-WALK.

WalkAmerica is made possible by the generous support of both walkers and sponsors. March of Dimes thanks local sponsors including the Boehringer Ingelheim Cares Foundation, Branson, Cendant Mobility, Wachovia, The News-Times, 98Q and Housatonic Publications.

WalkAmerica in Connecticut is proudly presented by NewAlliance Foundation and sponsored by CIGNA, Bob’s Discount Furniture and NBC30 Connecticut News. National WalkAmerica sponsors are CIGNA, Famous Footwear, Farmers Insurance Group, FedEx and Kmart.  Additional national sponsorship is provided by Babyfit.com, Continental Airlines, Discovery Health Channel, First Response, Grain Foods Foundation, Mead Johnson Nutritionals and Outdoor Services.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.

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