March for Babies Ambassador Baby Austin Gooch was all smiles, above, during the Jan. 19 kickoff as he was being held by Andi Smart, Community Director for the March of Dimes.
By Ramona Evans
For The Paper
The March for Babies (MFB) kick-off event took place on Thursday at the Braselton-Stover House. Along with many others, I donned purple in support of the cause. An already well lit room was made brighter when Austin, the Ambassador Baby, appeared with his never-ending smile. There was strong community spirit as everyone came together to support this worthy cause.
The delicious catering was donated and the items in the silent auction were appealing to everyone. The team that led this event was outstandingly passionate, all having personal ties to the cause. Sharon Rampey, with the Winder Publix, shared with me that her involvement enriches her life and has been doing so for 16 years that she has been involved. Many committee members and chairs have been a part of this organization for years.
We were educated on March for Babies campaign including the research and advocacy that they provide. MFB is about the health of all babies, supporting prenatal vitamin advocacy, vaccination research and development, healthy pregnancy lifestyle education as well as many more resources available to growing families. Amber and Chris Gooch were a joy to become acquainted with as they took the time to sit down with me and share their story. The most powerful thing they provided was when Amber said, “Looking back it is amazing to think of how much was wrong with Austin and compare that with how healthy he is today, each milestone has become that much more memorable to us.”
The MFB events will take place over the next few months and everyone is urged to take the time to get involved.
Committee members reported that likely due to the economy, community support has decreased in the past few years, although premature births have increased. Just like Chris and Amber, who fundraised in high school, the work you do now for the cause will benefit the future growth of families, including your own and people that you know.
Visit www.marchforbabies.org for more information on the North Georgia chapter’s involvement.
