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Community Corner

Thousands to Walk for Stronger, Healthier Babies at Rentschler Field

On Sunday, April 27 at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, thousands of families and business leaders will join together to March for Babies—the March of Dimes walk honoring babies born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive. Funds raised help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, neonatal intensive care unit family support programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies. 

Families will enjoy bounce houses, free video gaming from The Gamer’s Box,  visits from Hartford Wolf Pack’s Sonar & Jonathan the UConn husky, Chuck E Cheese, Lego activities, a special fitness scavenger hunt for prizes, face painting, baby bottle sand art and more. 

Leading the festivities will be the event’s Ambassadors, Kevin and Jessica Repoli of Manchester, along with their two-year old son Kaden. They will share Kaden’s incredible story of survival, and thank walkers for their commitment to the March of Dimes mission to give all babies a healthy start.   Kaden was born nearly four months too soon and weighed just 1 lb. 6 oz.  He spent 124 days in three neonatal intensive care units before coming home.

“Kaden’s birth and NICU stay was the most scary, trying time in our lives,” said Jessica.  “It is our hope that by raising awareness about prematurity and raising funds through events like March for Babies, one day no family will have to go through what we did.”

Rentschler Field is located at 615 Silver Lane in East Hartford. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the event at 10 a.m.  To register visit marchforbabies.org/event/greaterhartford. Participants can also register on-site on April 27.  All walkers who raise $200 or more will receive an event t-shirt and those raising $350 or more will have the choice of a Macy’s or Kmart gift card.   

New in 2014 is the chance for area runners to participate in Run for Babies.  This inaugural 5K, sponsored by Cigna, will be held at Rentschler Field prior to March for Babies.  Registration is $30 ($40 after April 17th) and all runners receive a t-shirt.  Awards will also be given per age group.  Registration begins onsite at 7 a.m. and the run begins at 8 a.m.  Sign up online at active.com and search “Greater Hartford Run for Babies.”  All proceeds benefit the March of Dimes.

Greater Hartford March for Babies is sponsored by Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Aetna, Bob’s Discount Furniture, Pullman & Comley, KPMG, Shipman & Goodwin, Clear Channel Radio, Connecticut Parent Magazine, Lamar, Kidtivity and Kids Out & About Hartford.  March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, Macy’s, Famous Footwear, Cigna, Sanofi Pasteur, Mission Pharmacal, and United Airlines.

For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs.  Find out how you can help raise funds to prevent premature birth and birth defects by walking in March for Babies at marchforbabies.org. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.  Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

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