Meet Gavin Rudd

Gavin was born after a very complicated pregnancy on October 6, 2010 weighing 3lbs 5 oz. His arrival was 6 weeks before his due date via emergency C-section. His mother, Heather, only got to see his tiny face for a second before he was transported to the NICU at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. His father, Jason was at his side while his mother anxiously waited in the recovery room for an update. Gavin was two hours old before she would be able to really see him for the first time and he was over fourteen hours old before she would hold him for the first time.
For 18 days Gavin was in the NICU, he learned how to breath all on his on, maintain his temperature, and to eat all by himself. Gavin was discharge from the NICU 3 weeks before his original due date. His parents thank the March of Dimes and the wonderful NICU staff at Peninsula Regional Medical Center, for helping Gavin, who is now a very happy, healthy, and very active toddler.

As 2012 Eastern Shore Ambassador Family, The Rudd’s will help raise awareness of premature birth and encourage residents and companies to participate in March for Babies.

Setting up your March for Babies Online Fundraising Team Page!

Did you know that Online Fundraising (OFT) is the easiest and best way to raise money? Family Teams that are the most successfully use the OFT program. To get the most out of your OFT page make sure you have a photo and updated story on your team page, as well as, your personal page. Your friends and family will be excited to get an update on your family and will be more likely to donate to your Family Team. Check out the Quick Guide to online Fundraising for helpful hints.

There are many fundraising tools you can use to help spread the word. Many families raise money through their Facebook page by using the March for Babies Facebook application. There is a March for Babies badge you can put on your blog, Facebook and your e-mail signature that shows your goal bar with a link to your team page. There is even a fun animated e-mail that you can personalize with a picture and send to your friends and family. This is a great way for your friends and family to have better access to your team. Check out the Family Team March for Babies page for all kinds of helpful tools just for Family Teams.

Check out this video about how to set up your online fundraising page!

Join us for Maryland Lobby Day – Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Lobby Day will begin at 8 a.m. with a formal program and conclude with legislative visits. It will be an opportunity for staff and volunteers to speak with elected officials about issues of importance to the March of Dimes. Invitations are being sent to the membership (and staff) of the House and Senate committees that consider bills of interest to the chapter.
The preliminary Lobby Day agenda is as follows:
• Welcome
• Medical Speaker
• Family’s Perspective
• Bills of Interest to the March of Dimes
• Call to Action

We hope that you will stay following the formal program to visit with your legislators. These visits should be arranged as soon as possible. If you need assistance in identifying who your elected officials are, please click on the following link http://mdelect.net/ and type in your home address. Your elected officials will be listed on the left side of the page. Legislative directories will be on-hand at the event. We will do our best to partner you with other volunteers/staff so that you are not alone on these visits.
Room 180
Lowe Housing Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Legislative staff are welcome!
Questions or RSVP:
Anne V. Eder, 410-752-8073 or aeder@marchofdimes.com

Charpentier Family

At 29 ½ weeks pregnant, I was admitted to The Birthing Inn at Inova Loudoun Hospital for what I thought was severe indigestion. It turned out that I had severe preeclampsia and a condition known as HELLP Syndrome. I was hooked up to IV’s, monitors and given a steroid injection, (surfactant), to help mature my unborn son’s lungs. I started improving, but not enough to be sent home, I spent the next 4 days on bed rest, listening to women give birth to their healthy babies. By Day 4 it became clear that I wasn’t going to get any better, and on the morning of Day 5 (May 16, 2007), Martin Alexander was born via emergency C-section at 30 weeks gestation. So much for my natural childbirth plan! It was all so scary – even though he let out a cry and began to breathe on his own, he was very underweight. He spent the next 3.5 weeks in the NICU gaining weight and learning to eat from a bottle. He came home in early June weighing only 3 lbs. 6oz. and aside from a double-inguinal hernia (that was repaired several months later), he has grown up to be a healthy, happy and very energetic little boy! Alex turns 5 years-old this May and we’re thankful for every day we have with him and his little sister, Gabriela, who was born full term in 2010.

Eastern Shore March for Babies Kickoff Dates!

Join us for a Celebration Luncheon and 2011 March for Babies Recognition

• Salisbury – Wednesday, February 15th - 12 noon – 1:30 pm at the Salisbury Moose Family Center

• Midshore/Federalsburg – Wednesday, February 29th – 12 noon – 1:30 pm at Union United Methodist Church in Federalsburg, MD

• Assateague – Thursday, March 8th – 12 noon – 1:30 pm at Seacret’s in Ocean City, MD

Contact Name and Email: Nicole Scharf at nscharf@marchofdimes.com or Wendy Jarrett at wjarrett@marchofdimes.com

You’re invited to attend the March of Dimes March for Babies Kickoff Celebration on Thursday, February 23rd at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Join 2012 Washington, D.C. Chair Brian Carlton, Regional Managing Partner of Dixon Hughes Goodman; Fairfax County Chair Jeff Kovach, Managing Director of Beacon Capital Partners; Jeff Johnson of Booz Allen Hamilton; St. Mary’s County Chair Jo Ann Gelrud and Charles County Chair Craig Renner of The St. Charles Companies at the Kickoff Celebration.

The Kickoff Celebration is an opportunity to learn more about the March of Dimes signature fundraising event, March for Babies. We hope that you can attend to meet other team captains, hear motivating stories and learn more about the mission of the March of Dimes and our impact in the community.

When: Thursday, February 23nd
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Please RSVP no later than Monday, February 13th to Nicole Johnson at 571-257-2314 or njohnson@marchofdimes.com

March for Babies Ice Skating and Carriage Ride Fundraiser

Ice Skating

Monday, February 27 - Thursday, March 1, Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion
$10 admission (includes skate rental) with proceeds benefitting March for Babies during regular skate hours! Hot chocolate, snacks, photos on the Zamboni, DJ, games and prizes Monday & Tuesday 5 - 7 pm; Wednesday & Thursday 6 - 10 pm.

Carriage Ride

Saturday, February 11 - Reston Town Center
Fifteen minutes Carriage Rids with proceeds benefitting March for Babies. Cost is $5 per person; children under five ride free. No more the six persons (4 adults and 2 children or 2 adults and 4 children) at a time.
Carriage rides are open between 6 pm and 10 pm. Get there early to get your reservations for a romantic or family fun carriage ride through Reston Town Center.
Also, sign up for the Reston Town Center walk on Sunday, May 6 at marchforbabies.org!

Harford County March for Babies Kick Off Celebration

Join us for the 2012 March for Babies Kick Off Celebration, Wednesday, February 15th at MaGerk’s Pub in Bel Air. The annual event is an opportunity to learn more about the March of Dimes signature fundraising event, March for Babies. We hope that you can attend to meet other team captains, hear motivating stories and learn more about the mission of the March of Dimes and our impact in the community. Team captains will have the opportunity to pick up any fundraising materials they will need for their campaign.