March of Dimes walk set May 1

Senior Stacey Ricciardi, leader of the March of Dimes Collegiate Council at UD

1:45 p.m., March 14, 2005--Those who like to walk and serve a good cause at the same time will want to sign up for the 2005 March of Dimes’ WalkAmerica fund-raising event, set for Sunday, May 1.

This year’s walk will step off at 10 a.m. from the parking lot of UD’s Delaware Field House and will loop through Newark in a four-and-a-half-mile course that winds up South College Avenue to Main Street before heading back toward the field house via Elkton Road and West Park Place.

Held to benefit March of Dimes’ campaign to find a cause for premature births and birth defects, this year’s fund-raiser aims to draw more than 2,000 walkers and raise thousands of dollars to combat what has become the leading cause of infant mortalities around the world.

“There are a lot of good causes to support, but cutting down on premature births seems particularly important, especially in Delaware, where the need is big,” Stacey Ricciardi, leader of the March of Dimes Collegiate Council at UD, said.

A senior from Ringwood, N.J., majoring in nutrition, Ricciardi said she was inspired to start the council last semester when her studies led her to recognize the rising incidence of premature births throughout the state. “As college students, we’re the next generation of parents,” she said. “A lot of people my age don’t really think about it, but getting the proper amount of folic acid now is important for future healthy pregnancies.”

In addition to marshalling troops for the walk on May 1, Ricciardi also is spearheading education programs on campus designed to inform future parents about the long-term benefits of proper nutrition and prenatal healthcare.

Pledge forms and brochures with registration information for the May 1 walk are available at various locations across campus, including the Bob Carpenter Center, the Perkins Student Center, the Trabant University Center, the Employee Wellness Center, the Student Health Center and Clayton Hall.

Completed pledge forms, with checks made out to the March of Dimes, can be submitted at the registration table beginning at 9 a.m. on the day of the walk. The first 50 members of the University community who register with $50 or more in pledges will receive a UD 2005 Walk T-shirt.

The family-oriented event will include a children’s area with face-painting, balloon sculptures, a lollipop tree and a moonwalk tent. Baby Blue, YoUDee and members of the UD cheerleading and dance teams also will be on hand to entertain participants, and complimentary refreshments will include hot chocolate before the walk and Seasons Pizza after the walk.

For more information on March of Dimes’ mission and success stories, visit [www.marchofdimes.com]. For more information on signing up for the walk as a UD team member, call (302) 831-2200.

Article by Becca Hutchinson
Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson

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