May 1, 2001
Premature babies so small their
tiny lungs have to fight for every breathits more common than
one would expect for an advanced nation like the United States.
Every day, premature birth programs funded by the March of Dimes
make strides for healthier babies.
So each spring, members and staff of the IBEW line up with the
March of Dimes to help prevent premature births, infant mortality
and birth defects through research, community services, education
and advocacy.
Its about healthy babies, thats the key, Peter J. Keenan, Jr.,
IBEW International personnel director, who has helped organize the
effort for the Washington, D.C. office since 1987. Keenan,
who is on the March of Dimes Board of Directors, was honored last
year with the top volunteer award by the March of Dimes Birth Defect
Foundation (see Volunteerism at Its Best: March of Dimes Presents
Top Award, p.5, IBEW Journal, December 2000).
Members of locals large and small donned walking shoes for hikes
in many of 1,400 U.S. communities participating in WalkAmerica.
The event took place in most communities in late April.
Leading the International Offices 100-person walkathon delegation
were International President Edwin D. Hill and Secretary-Treasurer
Jeremiah J. OConnor. Keenan said the staff pledges, along
with proceeds from bake sales, book sales and other fundraisers
preceding the event amounted to more than $30,000. The IBEW
team has been among the best performing groups in the walk for the
past 10 years.
Our members certainly live up to our motto as the union of hearts
and minds, said IBEW International President Hill.
Nationwide, the March of Dimes expects WalkAmerica will have raised
upwards of $95 million this year. The final numbers will not
be in for a few months but heres the early picture on IBEWs contribution
to the record-breaking campaign:
Local 143Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania
Jerry Hawkins said Local 143s 12 walkers raised approximately
$1,000 from a day that drew IBEW members and their families. |
Local 665Lansing,
Michigan
Organizer Bruce Anderson said nine members walked, raising
approximately $2,400, with one member, Ken Siemon, taking
in $1,500 alone. |
Local 827Piscataway,
New Jersey
Business Agent William R. Clyde Dickinson said the sun shined
on those walking the eight-mile course through the Rutgers
University campus. The eight Local 827 participants
collected more than $1,200. |
Local 968Parkersburg,
West Virginia
Local 968 won first place in the walks small teams division
for its effort. Twenty-five walkers raised $1,200 for
the charity. |
Local 1381Hicksville,
New York
Business Manager Barbara P. Mucacchio said between 40 and
50 Local 1381 members participated, raising approximately
$2,000. |
Local 1999Mankato,
Minnesota
Financial secretary Floyd Herme said seven people walked,
with Local 1999 raising more than $1,300 on the April 29 walk. |
1547Anchorage,
Alaska
IBEW Local 1547 is an annual statewide sponsor of WalkAmerica.
This year, Gary Brooks said the local collected $10,000.
Walks occurred in different areas of Alaska on various dates,
including May 5 in Bethel, Ketchikan and Kenai, May 12 in
Fairbanks and May 19 in Anchorage and Barrow. The Juneau
walk will be on June 2. |
Local 2331Circleville,
Ohio
The weather cooperated with the Ross County walkathons theme,
Walking on Sunshine. Local 2231, whose members have
been participating in the walk since 1990, raised $1,800 with
40 walkers. Business Manager Tony Blankenship said the
IBEWs logo was prominently displayed on T-shirts. |
Local 2366Lincoln,
Nebraska
Twenty-four members turned out for the walk, raising $1,900.
Other IBEW members helped cheer the walkers on at the Central
Labor Council checkpoint. |
|
Many
other locals made contributions to the March of Dimes, including
Local 1, St. Louis, Missouri; Local 6, San Francisco, California;
Local 26, Washington, D.C.; Local 35, Hartford, Connecticut;
Local 53, Kansas City, Missouri; Local 82, Dayton, Ohio;
Local 269, Trenton, New Jersey; Local 280, Salem, Oregon;
Local 443, Montgomery, Alabama; Local 589, Long Island,
New York; Local 659, Medford, Oregon; Local 952, Ventura,
California; and Local 1105, Newark, Ohio.
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|
Local
134Chicago
Chicagos Local 134 raised more than $7,000, surpassing easily
their $5,000 goal, with 40 members participating. Team captain
Geri Harston said the local collected more for the charity than
in previous years.
Local
201Beaver, Pennsylvania
Lawrence McClune, who has been participating in the event for
the past 15 years, said the April 27 walk netted $5,194, with
some additional donations anticipated. Brother McClune said
26 members walked, including two who pushed their sons in wheelchairs
for the 6.2-mile course.
Local
1049Long Island, New York
IBEW 1049 members were an integral part of WalkAmerica in Hauppauge,
where they staffed a refreshment checkpoint, distributed Local
1049 balloons and hosted a pre-walk breakfast and post-walk lunch,
said Business Manager Ralph Ranghelli. The unit has participated
in the event each of the past 11 years, earning the Gold Team
award for the past six years. Fifty members walked this
year.
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