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Grand Forks volunteers raise more than $5,800 for March of Dimes

  • Published
  • By Tim Flack
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  A small group of base volunteers raised more than $5,800 for the March of Dimes during a "March for Babies" fundraiser April 28, 2012, in downtown Grand Forks.

About 60 Grand Forks Air Force Base team members - clad in matching green T-shirts - marched around the Grand Cities Mall for an hour for the event.

Base team organizer Staff Sgt. Tabatha Lugo, her husband, Staff Sgt. Alfredo Lugo, and their toddler son, Matthias, led the march.

She said the base volunteers earned the "Top Team" award by raising more money than any of the other teams in Grand Forks. Six-year-old Grace Weiler, a member of the team, earned the "Top Youth Walker" award by collecting $148.

The team's $5,818.28 brought the overall total raised in the march to $40,028, according to Lugo. Nearly 300 people marched through the mall.

"Both numbers are all-time record highs for Grand Forks," Lugo said. "And they couldn't have done it without us."

Lugo said she had two goals in mind when organizing a base team. First - she wanted to "demonstrate our support to the community." Second - she set the bar high, hoping to raise $5,000.

"We blew both of those goals out of the water," she said.

Raising money for the March of Dimes is personal for the Lugo family. Matthias was born prematurely.

"Our son, Matthias, was born premature at 26 weeks gestational age," Lugo said. "He was barely two pounds, and was a little more than 13 inches long. If it weren't for the research done by the March of Dimes, babies at that age would not stand a chance."

She thanked those who participated - and who donated to support the marchers.

"This was a successful first year for our Grand Forks AFB team, and I hope there will be many more to come," Lugo said.

Funds raised during the March for Babies will be used to support the mission of the March of Dimes, which is broken down into four components: research, advocacy, education, and community service.