This weekend’s weather may have put a damper on many spring activities, but one community event proved that April 20 was a sunny day for babies as 150 participants joined together to help give every baby a healthy start.

The total raised by Kosciusko and Whitley counties for March for Babies stands at $22,000 with the total expected to rise as donations are turned in by those who stayed home.

The 150 dedicated people walked this weekend despite the freezing forecast. “We know the weather did prevent some from attending the event,” says Melanie Kellogg of March of Dimes. “We had many more people registered to walk so we know that the total raised by this event will increase as we get more donations in next week.”

The March of Dimes is asking people who have donations to turn in to drop them by the March of Dimes office at 303 Stable Dr., Fort Wayne, IN 46825. “We will have the March for Babies T-shirts at the office for those who earned them,” says Kellogg.

“We had a wonderful event,” Kellogg adds. “Once again, the community showed its commitment to the health of babies by braving the elements.  Together, we got wet and muddy but smiled through the weather because we knew that what we did in the freezing temperatures on April 20 will help make a shining future for our children.”

March for Babies is a 40-year American tradition that takes place each spring. March for Babies provides the majority of the critical funds needed to help the March of Dimes to prevent premature birth, birth defects and death before age one.