By Kristie Schiefer
Assistant News Editor
Since 1970, $2 billion has been raised by March of Dimes through the March for Babies walk, giving hope to more than half a million babies born prematurely each year.
On Oct. 13, 23 teams from St. Bonaventure University in the Western New York March for Babies raised a total of $8,889 collectively, according to Rick Trietley, vice provost for student life. Bonaventure teams were made up of five or more members of the faculty or student body, typically representing a club, group or department of the university.
According to Christina Sing, WNY Division Community Director, event donations totaled approximately $50,000.
In 2011, prior to St. Bonaventure hosting and co-sponsoring the event, St. Bonaventure teams raised a total of $1,310. In 2010, the St. Bonaventure teams raised a total of $1,080, according to Trietley.
According to Heather Pfeil, former WNY Division Community Director, 84 cents of each dollar goes to research and grants which Olean General Hospital can apply for to find answers to the problems that threaten babies.
In all of the Bonaventure teams that participated in the walk, The Bona Venture raised $825 and won a $1,000 grant from the SBU Student Government Association and Student Life. WSBU 88.3, The Buzz’s team Buzz’d About Babies raised $787 and SBU RAs came in third place with $440. SBU Student Life raised the most money out of staff and faculty teams, the Office of Communications raised the second highest amount of money and Event Management came in third place, according to Trietley.
Pfeil commended the success of the event with registration up over last year’s total registered walkers by 60 percent, even though the weather halted some walkers.
“We had an unbelievable turnout of new teams; it really is incredible in both St. Bonaventure teams and new family teams,” Pfeil said. “The weather was not completely on our side, even though the sun was out. It was quite chilly for many people, except for the children who were in the bounce houses, they stayed warm and active.”
St. Bonaventure University partnered with Olean General Hospital for the first time as an official event co-sponsor, according to Pfeil.
“I think it went very well for the first time with two chairs, next year will be bigger and better since we were able to work out the kinks this year,” Pfeil said. “It was my first event to completely organize and get the campaign going, and I think it went very well.”
Cody Clifford, student government executive board president, also praised the event.
“I personally think that the event was a great success. We had 30 plus student volunteers who worked throughout the day starting at 6 a.m. (it was literally 10 degrees out),” Clifford wrote in an email. “I’m really grateful with how smoothly the event went and am looking forward to hopefully co-sponsoring it again next year and having it be even more successful.”
At 75 years old, the March of Dimes is the oldest organization in the United States. In New York alone, one in eight babies is born too soon. All the money raised will go to researching preventives for prematurity and many other disorders and diseases, according to Pfeil.
“The March for Babies walk is the largest fundraising event that the March of Dimes runs every year,” Pfeil said.
Already, treatments to cure vision defects are being developed, and genes responsible for oral cleft have been identified with preventions being worked on, according to marchforbabies.org.
In the future, Pfeil hopes St. Bonaventure and OGH will partner again.
“Both organizations have strong roots in the community and have a driving passion for helping to save the lives of moms and babies,” Pfeil said. “I cannot thank St. Bonaventure teams and volunteers enough for their support and making the march for babies walk successful.”
schiefkm10@bonaventure.edu
