2015 March For Babies Set for Saturday Morning in Toccoa

The 2015 March of Dimes campaign is well underway and on Saturday, Franklin County will join Stephens County in Toccoa for the annual March for Babies 5K and then the actual March.

The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

This year, the regional chapter of the March of Dimes has also added teams from Hart and Elbert counties to this weekend’s events.

Leon Womack is the regional March of Dimes coordinator. Womack said the day will begin with the 5K through Toccoa.

“The registration starts at 9a and the race starts at 10a,” he said.

Registration fee for the 5k is $25. Womack said everyone is welcome to take part in the 5K.

“You can come out and run or walk,” Womack said. “After the 5K is over and the March is over, Domino’s has donated 50 pizzas so we will have something to eat and drink.”

Immediately following the 5k, the official March for Babies will begin.

Teams from all five counties will be represented, according to Womack as they make their way through Toccoa in a show of solidarity for premature infants.

And in addition to the March itself, Womack said there will a lot of activities for kids and their families.

“We’ll have a bouncy house and a slide. There will be face painting for the kids,” Womack said. “There’ll be several different organizations giving things away. It’s just going to be a lot of fun.”

Again, registration begins at 9a for the 5k at Boyd Field in Toccoa.

The March begins immediately after the 5k.