Catharine Aboulhouda

The countdown has begun to my 6th birthday on the Fourth of July! That’s why my mom and dad call me their little firecracker. We are having a big birthday party on July 4th will all of my family and friends. We even have fireworks! I love sharing my birthday with our country. That means a lot of fireworks.

While traveling across the country as the National Ambassador, supporters of the March of Dimes made donations in my honor. One generous donor gave $1,000! I am so happy that there are so many champions for the babies. To find out how you can be a champion and make a donation to the March of Dimes in honor of my birthday, click here.  Every dollar or dime helps the March of Dimes to save babies like me!

Last week my mom and I went to Los Angeles, California to attend Farmers Insurance Be A Hero For Babies Day. Farmers agents across the country raised a total of $3.2 million for the March of Dimes in one day!!!! That will save a lot of babies. Bob from Good Day LA was at Farmers all morning and we got to be on TV. My mom and I said thank you to all of the Farmers employees who worked so hard to raise so much money. We met a lot of heroes that day including Keitha Schofield, President of Farmers Services; Bob Woudstra, President of Farmers Insurance Group; Doug Onyon, VP of Corporate Communication; and Dave Dela Torre, Senior VP of Sales. Everyone who participated in the day is a hero for all babies!!!!

While we were in LA, we walked down Rodeo drive. I looked at really pretty dresses and jewelry. California has a lot of George of the jungle trees or palm trees, and was warm. I went swimming. We saw a lot of bamboo. My panda loves to eat bamboo.

On the plane, I helped the flight attendants hand out chocolate chip cookies.

Last week my mom and I went to Wachovia’s Carnival in Philadelphia, PA. They hold one every year to benefit the March of Dimes. First we went to their office and met with Mr. Knott, the President of Wachovia Pennsylvania and Delaware. My mom and I helped the March of Dimes award him with a certificate of excellence for all of the great things he and Wachovia is doing for the babies.

At the Carnival, I played fun games and won a bunch of stuffed bears. I’m giving my brother the skateboarder bear. I danced with Bo Elia, Wachovia’s volunteer of the year, and Phanatic, the Phillies mascot. Wachovia held their own version of American Idol. Tina Turner performed. I got my picture taken with her.

After College Station, my family and I drove to Houston. We saw a lot of cows and horses along the way. Saturday night we had a really nice dinner with our friends from the Houston chapter. After dinner we listened to a great band in the park.

On Sunday we went to the March for Babies in Houston. We first went to the Continental Airlines tent to visit our friends Mr. Kellner, the CEO of Continental, Susan, Ed, Terry and Cheryl. My family went on stage to say thank you to the Continental team for walking and supporting the March of Dimes. Mr. Kellner picked me up. He’s even taller than my dad. When I grow up I want to be the CEO of Continental just like Mr. Kellner.

We also got to speak at the main stage and say thank you to the 40,000 walkers. We met the local ambassador family. They have quadruplets! I rode on my dad’s shoulders for the start of the walk. We stood right behind the banner and kicked the walk off. It was really exciting! Then we stood on the side and cheered all of the teams as they walked past.

After the walk we visited the tents of Continental Airlines, Farmers Insurance, FedEx, Wachovia, Citi, and Bank of America to say thank you for sponsoring the March for Babies.

Everyone who participated in the more than 1,000 marches across the country is a champion for the babies!!!!

This weekend my family and I went to College Station, TX to participate in the March to the Brazos. This March is a longstanding tradition of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, and has been held annually since 1908. The focus of the walk is on the exchange of rank between Freshman and Seniors. In 1977, the Corps started to use the walk as a fundraiser and raise money for the March of Dimes. My family and I had the honor of watching the changing of rank and thanking the General and all of the cadets for their hard work for the babies. The cadets had to walk 18 miles. That’s really far. Some of them rode horses.

Each squadron holds fundraisers for the March of Dimes, leading up to the March to the Brazos. At the march, the squadron that raised the most money is announced and wins an award.

Last week my mom and I went to Oklahoma City. When we landed, I went in the cockpit and met the Continental Airline pilots. I want to be a pilot for Continental Airlines when I grow up. The first thing we did was go to dinner with March of Dimes chapter staff and board members. Everyone had cheesecake.

We had to get up really early in the morning to do radio interviews on the Clear Channel stations KTST, KTOK and KXXY. After that we attended the Oklahoma City Division Team Captain Breakfast. My mom and I told our story, and thanked everyone for their hard work. Then we went to the state capitol. My mom, me, and our friends at the March of Dimes were recognized on the House floor. The legislators were really nice and thanked my mom afterwards. Then we handed out a small gift to the House and Senate members to thank them for supporting the March of Dimes. After that, we had lunch with the Legislative Women’s Caucus. We presented an awared to Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins for her work for the March of Dimes. Then, the Lt. Governor and I went to get some ice cream.
I got to have more ice cream after that at Farmer’s Insurance National Call Center. We thanked a lot of Farmer’s employees who will be participating in the March for Babies.

The next day we had to get up early again for a tv interview on Fox 25. Then we went to Tronx for a meet and greet and yummy breakfast. After that we went to the Oklahoma City National Memorial to pray. My mom cried. Instead of crosses, there is a chair for every person who was killed. I prayed for the children. Then we went to Mercy Hospital for a luncheon and to tour the NICU. Everyone was really nice.

At night we went to a Red Hawks baseball game. I got to throw out the first pitch. One of the players signed my baseball. I couldn’t wait to get home to show Michael. He couldn’t come along because he had school.

After New York City, my family and I went to visit the March of Dimes National office in White Plains. We attended their quartely staff meeting. I helped the March of Dimes president, Dr. Howse, hand out awards. Then we hung out with our friends Frank and Steve.

At night we went to the March of Dimes vendor party. Michael and I got to play the Wii. I’m really good at bowling. My high score is 220. We had a great time at the national office. It was fun meeting so many people who work so hard everyday, to help save babies. They are all champions for the babies!!!

My parents, Michael and I got to go the New York City and see The Little Mermaid on Broadway! It was so much fun! I love The Little Mermaid and had wanted to see the show for so long. Ursula was a little scary so I sat on my dad’s lap. Ariel was so pretty. I love her hair. After the show, I got an Ariel sweatshirt and Little Mermaid book.

The next day we got up really early to go on Fox & Friends with Gretchen Carlson. The U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps were outside the studio performing so we stopped to listen and take some pictures. It was fun being on Fox & Friends. It was our first national t.v. interview. Gretchen was really nice and does so much to support the March of Dimes.

After the interview we went to Toys R Us. It’s huge! There is a carousel inside. It was too high so we didn’t go on. My mom bought Michael and me a present.

This week my mom and I went to Philadelphia. First we went to Wachovia to say thank you for everything they are doing to help save babies. We visited a lot of different departments. The lunch room floor had yellow and blue squares that I jumped on while my mom was telling our story. Then we attended the Cigna March for Babies Leaders Luncheon at the Ritz Carelton. I saw my friend Melanie Izzo of Cigna again, and Jane Massey from the March of Dimes, and met Ed Hanway, Cigna’s CEO and Chairman. Cigna has been a national sponsor of the March of Dimes for a long time. I also saw Tracy Davidson from NBC 10 again. She interviewed me for her blog.

Last week my family and I drove from Allentown, PA to Cincinnati, OH. It took 9 hours. The first thing we did in Cincinnati was go to a cookout at GE Aviation. Their walk team raises nearly $200,000. We got to meet Herana-Daze Jones, safety for the Cincinnati Bengals. He signed my program! Chris taught was about the history of jet engines. They are so big. We couldn’t take any pictures because they are top secret.

We also went to a carnival at Citi. I signed autographs with Mr. Jones. My brother Michael played in a lot of games and won really neat prizes. It was a lot of fun. We also went to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to meet with the NICU transport team, and the CEO, James Anderson. I sat in the ambulence they use to transport really small and sick babies just like I was.

On Thursday, we went to a March of Dimes Board meeting. I got a really big group hug. Then we went to a Cincinnati Reds game. I got to throw out the first pitch and Michael got to catch it. I was a little nervous so we practiced a lot. When we went out onto the field the announcer said our names and our pictures were up on the jumbotron. They let me stand closer to home plate because I’m only five and can’t reach from the mound. Michael caught the ball. It was great!! We had fun watching the game and visiting the Hall of Fame. The best part was that the Reds won! Then we went to the Newport Aquarium and were interviewed on WCPO-TV.

Watch the video of me throwing out the first pitch!

On Friday,we visited FedEx Kinkos and I made my own book. Then we went to the Bear Bash and the Vice Mayor proclaimed it “Healthy Babies Day”. Charmin sponsored the event so there as a huge bear there and a really big toilet. 1,000 bears were donated to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital NICU. After the program we went to Graeter’s for ice cream and to say hi to supporters from Duke Energy.

We had a really fun time in Cincinnati!