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On Thursday, March 20th, we were in Delaware. We attended the General Motors plant kickoff and went on a tour. It was so cool to be in the plant and see how cars are made. A really smart robot wrote my name on a poster. It even drew a smiley face. My brother and I got to sit in a beautiful yellow convertible. I wanted to drive it home. We also got to ride drive in a car right off the conveyor belt. It was just made. My brother got to see the body shop. A lot of sparks were flying.
We also went to the Christiana Hospital to tour the NICU and to say thank you to the wonderful NICU nurses and doctors.
At the end of the day we went to an elementary school’s kickoff. We watched an awesome laser light show. A lot of the kids spray painted their hair purple for the March of Dimes so my dad, brother and I did too. It was so much fun!
On Wednesday, March 19th we were in Hartford, CT. First we went to Stanley Tools for their kickoff. I got a tape measure with my name engraved in it. I measured my dad’s head. Then we went to the state capitol building to meet with the Lt. Governor Michael Fidele and senators. We went to raise awareness and support for the newborn screening bill. The March of Dimes and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation are advocating that screening for Cystic Fibrosis be mandated in Connecticut to meet standards that al babies be screened for 29 core tests at birth. Currently, CT tests for 28. The Lt. Governor was so nice and gave my brother and me a book called N is for Nutmeg. At the press conference, I received a beautiful proclamation from Senator David Cappiello.
Next we wend to Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center for lunch with March for Babies team captains. Dr. Hema deSilva a 20 plus year volunteer and MOD Board Member showed us around the NICU.
After that, we went to Bob’s Discount Furniture in Manchester. I helped tape a March for Babies PSA in English and in Spanish. Gracias!!!
On Tuesday, March 18th we went to the Hasbro plant in East Longmeadow, MA for a March for Babies kickoff and a tour. Hasbro shut down one of the lines for the kickoff. When we got there, a crowd was standing around the stage and we had to weave our way up to the stage. It was really exciting and fun saying hi to everyone. The tour was so cool! Our guide Jeff Lombard, Senior VP of Operations knew so much. I held a checkers piece right off the conveyor belt and it was still warm. I also got to see how puzzles are made.
On Sunday, my family drove to Providence, RI. It was a long trip. On Monday, we went to Gracie’s restaurant for breakfast, to honor the Rhode Island chapter’s Citizen of the Year. This year it’s Tom Ryan, Chairman, President & CEO of CVS Caremark. Then we went to Kmart and I got to go shopping. After that, we went to Hasbro. We had lunch with their President and CEO, Al Verrecchia and his wife Gerrie. They were so nice. They gave me a silver 25th anniversary My Little Pony. It’s beautiful. My brother Michael and I participated in fun St. Patrick’s Day activities that raised money for the March of Dimes. We also met Mr. Potato Head!
In the evening we went to the Providence Children’s Museum for a NICU family reunion. I had fun playing with new friends.
On Tuesday, we visited the Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the Women & Infant’s Hospital. We met a lot of loving doctors and nurses who are taking care of moms and babies. We also went to Summer Infant, where they make baby gear, and Bank of America.
We had a fun and busy time in Rhode Island!
Last week I went to Detroit, Michigan. Our flight there was cancelled so we almost didn’t get there on time, but Continental Airlines squeezed us on the last flight out and we made. Thank you Continental! In Detroit, we stayed at the Detroit Athletic Club, a really pretty and old building. We spoke at the Golden Mile Kickoff and met a lot of nice people.
We visited a huge Super Kmart. They had a really pretty cake for me. At Kmart, I checked customers out at the register, and wore a red vest and had a nametag with my name on it. I asked customers if they would like to make a donation to the March of Dimes. I got some donations!
We also attended a Family Teams kickoff at Pump It Up, an inflatibles company. There were over 50 kids there. I played with my new friend Shey, and the local ambassadors. It was so much fun!
Our last day in Michigan, we visited the Community Alliance Credit Union in Dearborn. This is the first time they are participating in March for Babies. Everyone is really excited to get involved.
On March 7th, we were back in Philadelphia to meet with Reed Smith, Wachovia, and McNeil. I found out that my new friend at Reed Smith actually got to swim with the dolphins. That is so cool! At Wachovia, I got to go in to the vault. The doors to the vault are very, very heavy. We met really nice people at McNeil too. They make Tylenol there.
We went to Medford, New Jersey on the evening of the 6th for a cocktail reception hosted by Shirley Richardson, co-chair of the Born to Shine Gala. A limo picked us up from the hotel and took us to the party. The Robertsons had a big indoor pool. I left my swimsuit at home, so I couldn’t go swimming, but I colored instead. The Richardsons are big supporter of the March of Dimes, and do a lot to help babies.
In Baltimore, we had dinner with a lot of national, regional, and Baltimore chapter March of Dimes staff. Everyone was in Baltimore for the Kickoff on March 6th. My mom and I spoke at the kickoff breakfast and made a lot of new friends, including some nice folks from Continental. I was really tired at breakfast because it was so early.
After the kickoff, we went to visit a Kmart and Famous Footwear. Then we went to Oriole Park at Camden Yards to look at the baseball field. They were getting it ready for opening day. After that, we went to the Baltimore Aquarium. I saw a dolphin show for the first time. Three dolphins jumped up high in the air at the same time. Some dolphins floated on their backs with a rubber ducky sitting on their stomachs. We sat in the no splash zone because I was wearing my pretty dress and didn’t want to get it wet.
On Monday, my mom and I were interviewed on four radio stations – KDKA Radio with Larry and John, B-94 with Bubba, Y108 with Zeke, and STAR 100.7 with Jonny Hartwell. Then we visited Respironics, a company that makes equipment for NICUs and for preemies. After that we visited National City Bank. There was a magic show, and I got to be the magician’s assistant.
Tuesday, we visited the Magee-Womens Hospital and presented the NICU with a rocking chair. After that, we visited Kmart, and said thank you to the associates for selling footprints to help the babies.
In the evening, we attended the Pittsburgh March for Babies kickoff at Heinz Field, where the Pittsburgh Steelers play. I went on a tour and saw the locker room and went down by the scoreboard.
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