It’s time for the 2012 March for Babies, the March of Dimes’ biggest fundraiser. There are walks in cities all over the nation. We Spohrs are ready to walk for Maddie for the fifth year in a row. By participating, we are helping The March of Dimes champion the needs of families and babies in our community and across the nation. The money we raise for March for Babies will support lifesaving research, services, education and advocacy that help babies get a healthy start – babies like Madeline’s sister Annabel, who made it to full term thanks in large part to medical advances championed by the March of Dimes.
Last year we were YET AGAIN the biggest family team in Los Angeles (over 100+ walkers), and one of the top family teams in the country. Three years in a row! Woo hoo! Madeline would be so proud. Our team goal is $20,000 – no small feat – but we want to continue our streak as the biggest team in Los Angeles. Beyond LA, we’re hoping that everyone who has walked in Maddie’s name in year’s past will walk again. And to everyone who hasn’t walked yet, we hope this will be the year you join, or even start, a team.
Joining a team means more to my family than any of you may realize. April is hard and emotional, and after the sadness we feel at the beginning of the month, knowing that we will see (either in person or via photos and emails) so many people supporting and remembering Maddie…honestly it’s a light that leads us through.
In the last four years, literally thousands of people opened their hearts and wallets and donated to the March of Dimes in honor of my beautiful daughter Madeline. The donations that came in after Maddie passed completely blew my family away, and made sure that millions of people, including lawmakers, know the name Madeline Spohr. As a parent, I am proud and humbled.
I only ask for donations for the two most important causes in my life – The March of Dimes and the charity we started in Maddie’s name, Friends of Maddie, which strives to help parents with children in NICUs across the country. This year, I am asking you to consider two options for donating.
The first is the most obvious – donating directly to the March of Dimes through my link here. Every little bit helps, even if it’s only a quarter! In 2009, 90% of the donations our team received were for $10 or less – and we were the top family team in the nation!
The second is March for Maddie shirts! Shirts can be purchased here:
Shirt sales are open to everyone, and all proceeds are going towards Team March for Maddie (and we are now selling Friends of Maddie shirts, too!). If you want to wear a shirt at your walk this year, be sure to order them ASAP!
If you’re in Los Angeles, we would be honored if you would march with us. You can sign up HERE to join the original March For Maddie team. If you are elsewhere in the country and have started a team, please leave a comment below with your team’s information. Not a team in your area? Start one! Or, if there isn’t a walk near you, join our team as a marcher in spirit.
Thank you again for everything you have done for my family, and in turn, thousands of other families. We miss Madeline so much, but knowing that there are people all over the world that have been touched by her is indescribable. We are all doing amazing things in her memory.
If you have any questions, PLEASE don’t hesitate to email me at thespohrs at gmail dot com.
Heather says:
My birthday is in 4 weeks, I put a call out on facebook to donate to the march under your team instead of getting me material gifts that I likely won’t need or use.
Hope it helps!
A says:
I would give ANYTHING to walk with you again in LA, but cannot figure out a way to afford it this year. Instead, I’ve joined the team and will walk here in Denver. I also recruited one of my closest Denver friends to walk with me and she has joined your team as well.
It actually let me choose my event, so I’m listed on the team even though my event is different this year.
Elizabeth says:
Once again, I’ll be joining you in spirit! If only KY and CA were closer
Aubrey says:
This will be the 3rd year my family will March For Maddie. Each year I teach my kids the importance of the March of Dimes and we talk about all the babies it has helped. They ask who Maddie is and I tell them all about her. We are proud to be part of your team and I hope that one day we will be able to walk right along side of you.
pdxhadey says:
I would love to know if anyone puts together a team in Portland!
Jaime Maynard says:
I am in Canada, but wanted to donate what I can currently afford…like you said, even a quarter helps…Soooo, I went to donate $3 and it won’t let me? Says $5 minimum. Another way? please email me and let me know so I don’t get all other comment via: subsciption
Wish I had way more to share, times are very very tough right now. Work just cut back my hours significantly weeks before we close on our new home.
Wendy says:
Did you see last weeks Celebrity Apprentice? Dee Snider (from Twisted Sister) won the task and his charity is the March of Dimes. He won over $300,000 for them. I instantly thought of you guys and all you do.
Kay says:
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to march this year, but I plan on earning my March for Maddie shirt next spring (I’ll have to find a team in or close to NY- NYC, Boston or Hartford if anyone knows of any). I do however plan on donating and encouraging friends and family members to donate in Maddie’s name. The awareness you’ve raised for March of Dimes is incredible, and I’m proud to be able to help in any way I can, especially if it’ll benefit kids like your precious girls.
Jessica says:
We are walking in memory of my daughter and in honor of my surviving preemies this year too. I hope you meet your fundraising goal, totally impressed at your ambition to set it high. Where did you get that March of Dimes mom icon in your sidebar? Love it.
AmazingGreis says:
So very bummed I can’t make it out there this year. I will miss you all!!! Will be there in spirit! XOXO
Mommy says:
I sent you an email, but I know you probably get like a million emails a day so I’m not offended that you haven’t written me back!
I hope you will have a March for Maddie team at the Ventura County walk this year too. I know the huge Los Angeles one is Maddie’s walk, but maybe you could do the one out here too? We will be at the Ventura County walk in honor of your sweet girl for sure, and I wish we could do the LA one too, but we have a prior commitment that day that we can’t get out of. However, we will be there in spirit and we will be sponsoring the March for Maddie team for sure!
Love to you all!!
Mommy says:
After your post today, we decided that we CAN get out of those plans and that Marching for Maddie is the only thing that matters that day!! We will be doing both walks in honor of your sweet girl! xoxo
Anna says:
I just wanted to let everyone know that the money raised by March of Dimes is indeed used to fund research all over the world. I’m in Australia and personally work in a lab whose work is partly funded by the MOD so rest assured that all these money raised is being put to good use!