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Lenowisco March of Dimes WalkAmerica 2006 Kickoff Set for Aug. 9

For more than 65 years, the March of Dimes has been saving America's children. The non-profit health organization is currently focusing its efforts on the problem of premature birth.  Every year more than 500,000 infants are born prematurely, and prematurity is on the rise. It now affects one out of every eight babies born in the United States and can lead to life-long disabilities and even death.

Begun in 1970, March of Dimes WalkAmerica is the first and best-loved walking event in the nation. As the March of Dimes biggest fund-raiser, WalkAmerica supports research and programs to help babies in your community and across the country get a healthy start.  Last year, more than 24,000 teams participated in WalkAmerica with pride.

The Lenowisco March of Dimes WalkAmerica Committee, which includes Wise, Lee and Scott Counties and the City of Norton, has begun planning the area's annual WalkAmerica event.  This year's WalkAmerica will be held on Saturday, Oct. 7 in Big Stone Gap at Bullitt Park, with registration at 9:30 a.m.  and the walk beginning at 10:30 a.m.. Walk day will feature music and activities for children of all ages, warm-up dancing before the walk and lunch immediately following the walk. There will also be a chance to meet Lenowisco WalkAmerica Special Ambassadors: area children and their families who have been touched by the March of Dimes mission. 

This year's March of Dimes WalkAmerica Honorary Chairperson is Heather Volk, volunteer and mother of two-year-old Julian Volk and his big brother Reese, who was born 16 weeks prematurely four and a half years ago. 

"We credit the March of Dimes with initially saving our son's life through research and medical breakthroughs that just a short 15 years ago, would not have existed to help babies like Reese,” Volk explained about her involvement. “The March of Dimes is an amazing organization that helps all babies born in the US today, and my family is thrilled to have an opportunity to not only give back, but honor Reese and memorialize the child we lost to prematurity."

Reese Volk has been selected as one of the Lenowisco WalKAmerica special ambassadors for 2006.  Reese and his twin brother Evan were born prematurely in 1991 after their mother went into preterm labor only 24 weeks into her pregnancy. Sadly, Evan did not survive complications stemming from his premature birth and lived just 18 hours. 

Reese spent 120 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, weighing just one pound, five ounces at birth. Some of the long-term health problems experienced by many premature babies have affected Reese, who has mild cerebral palsy, poor vision, developmental delays and autism spectrum disorder. Despite his difficult start in life, Reese is now a happy healthy four-year-old who attends preschool in Big Stone Gap, enjoys playing with his friends and his little brother and like his father David, an assistant professor of Music at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, loves music.

Sponsors are now being sought to help support the event through monetary and in-kind donations. The Lenowisco annual WalkAmerica Kickoff luncheon has been set for Aug. 9 and all teams, individuals and sponsors will be invited to attend, where they will have the opportunity to meet ambassadors and learn more about this year's walk and the March of Dimes mission. Those wishing to become involved with the walk as walkers, teams and sponsors can contact Greater Blue Ridge Division's March of Dimes Community Director, Nikki Austin-Hicks at 1-866-881-0032. 

To learn more about WalkAmerica and the March of Dimes mission, you can also go to the following website: <www.walkamerica.org>.

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