Welcome!

Welcome to the 2012 March for Babies season!

We are so excited about our 2012 walks this year - and we're particularly excited that you've found your way to our Middle Tennessee March for Babies blog!  We hope you check back often for fundraising tips, featured families, family team standings and who knows what else!  (And if you do know what else you'd like to see here, leave a comment, and we'll get on it!)

First, let me make a few introductions.  I am Nancy Speas Hill, your blog host for the season.  If you marched with us last year, you may remember me as the 2011 Family Teams Specialist.  While I've moved on to a new job, I am thrilled to be hanging around the March of Dimes as the captain of our family's team (Itty Bitty Becca's Team) and one of this year's Family Teams Committee Co-Chairs, serving in the fabulous company of Co-Chair Ashley Turner (of the superstar Team Ellie) and the 2012 Family Teams Specialist, Jaci Ryals!  We are so excited to be working with our family teams to help make this year's March for Babies the most meaningful, positive and productive ever.  Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, concerns, thoughts, etc.  Jaci is in-office several days a week, and you can reach her at jryals@marchofdimes.com or 615-399-3200.  She can put you in touch with Ashley or me, or you can leave a comment here, and we'll get back to you!

And speaking of the Family Teams Committee...it's not too late for you to join us!  If you want to have an extra-special March for Babies experience by helping shape special family teams specifics, like the family teams area or the preemie picnic, or by helping welcome or mentor new family teams, PLEASE let us know ASAP, so we can get you in the loop!  We'd love to have you!

And finally....in case you haven't already signed up or re-activated your team, take a minute NOW and visit www.marchforbabies.org to get the ball rolling!  Check out the sidebar on the right to see some of your walk options.  We'll be right there with you!
    
                                                                                                                   

Here are our thousand dollar teams, as of Tuesday afternoon! If you're not on the list, it's not too late to join it! We are still collecting March for Babies money, and you can still qualify for your gift card incentives. Your online fundraising pages continue to be active and accepting credit card and PayPal donations, and you can still turn in cash and checks to our office. (If you'd like to mail checks in, send them to 1101 Kermit Dr., Suite 201, Nashville 37217. BE SURE to write your team's name in the memo line so that we can credit the donation to you.)

Top Teams

1. 
   

   Team Ellie - $23,780



2. 
   

   Itty Bitty Becca's Team - $4918



3. 
   
   Friends of King Donovan - $3810
   


4. 
   
   Team Elise - $3720
   


5. 
   
   Vivi Lee - $3180
   


6. 
   
   Team Beard - $2875
   


7. 
   
   Lane Team - $2290
   


8. 
   
   Parker Wilcox - $2230
   


9. 
   
   MOMS Club of Spring Hill - $2201


10. 
    
    Team KP - $1808
    


11. 
    
    Butler Baby Boys - $1800
    


12. 
    
    Madison and Macey - $1753
    


13. 
    
    Amayah's Angels - $1745
    


14. 
    
    Team Rick - $1710
    


15. 
    
    Team Ella - $1670
    


16. 
    
    Ava & Gage - $1661
    


17. 
    
    The Sweet P's - $1548
    


18. 
    
    Skip Dee Doo Dah - $1505
    


19. 
    
    Phi Beta Sigma/Team McMurry and Santiago - $1467
    


20. 
    
    Kaleigh and Braden - $1390
    


21. 
    
    The Grace Walkers - $1365
    


22. 
    
    Team Wilson - $1348
    


23. 
    
    Jacob Perryn - $1285; Happi Hookers - $1285
    


24. 
    
    Team JAC - $1270
    


25. 
    
    Jayden's Walkers - $1226
    


26. 
    
    Team Double J - $1175
    


27. 
    
    Cannon and Cailyn - $1150
    


28. 
    
    Shine Baby Shine - $1125
    


29. 
    
    Spraker Support - $1080
    


30. 
    
    Team Ettinger - $1005

Family Teams Specialist

WOW

Wow.  

Seriously, guys, just wow.

What an amazing day we had last Sunday!  The Nashville March for Babies was incredible!

The weather was gorgeous, we had a great turn out, many, many, many of our teams have met their fundraising goals, and it was an all-around beautiful, emotional, wonderful day!

For me, the best part was DEFINITELY getting to meet so many of our teams.  I've been working with and talking with you for over 3 months now, and it was so nice to get to meet you in person...not to mention how awesome it was to meet so many of your beautiful children!  Unfortunately, as the day got busy I didn't get to meet all of you - hopefully we'll have the chance at our next Music City March of Dimes event.

I'm always emotionally overwhelmed at March for Babies because even with my beautiful girl by my side there is both so much to grieve and so much to celebrate.  This year, though, I definitely felt even more emotion, because I've had the priviledge of learning so many of YOUR stories.  In the past I've been vaguely aware of walking in honor and memory of ALL of the March of Dimes babies, and I have known some of my fellow walkers personally, but this year was really special, as I've gotten to know the ways in which so many of your hearts have been broken, touched, filled with joy, numbed, terrified and deeply, deeply blessed because you had or knew a child born sick or too soon.   

You are the reason we march.  And last weekend, it was an honor and a pleasure to March for Babies alongside you.  Thank you!                                    

p.s.  I just pulled the family team standings, and while I'm going to save that post for later, I'll tell you that in Nashville, we currently have 31 - THIRTY-ONE! - family teams who have raised over $1000!  Wow again!                                                    

                        

Family Teams Specialist

Nashville Top Teams

Here we are, less than 48 hours to our Nashville March for Babies, and our family teams are kicking some "tushie," as my little Becca calls it!  We are already $15,000 over where we were at this time last year.  I'm posting a list of our (many!) $1,000+ teams below, but I've got a contest designed to help us ALL close strong, whether your team is big or small. 

The March of Dimes has a campaign against elective c-sections or elective inductions before 39 weeks.  When doctors schedule such procedures out of convenience and not out of medical necessity, it can add to the problems that even full-term babies can have.  These babies are more likely to need special care in the NICU and/or have respiratory issues.  So we're working to get every baby at least their full 39 weeks.  In honor of this 39-weeks campaign, we're holding a 39-hour challenge!  For every online donation that you, as a family team captain, receives, you will get one entry into a giveaway for a bag of official March of Dimes merchandise (or stuff...is it actually merchandise if it's not really sold as retail?  Whatever it is, it's all kinds of fun).  The contribution can be $1 or $10,000 - or anywhere in between.  (Okay, it could also be more than $10,000 - y'all get on that now, right?)  The contest starts at 9:30 pm tonight (Friday) and runs through the beginning of our walk at 12:30 pm on Sunday.  So get on those phones, on facebook, in your e-mail and make every hour count! 

Now, without further ado, here are your Nashville $1,000 teams:

Top Ten Family Teams

1.       Team Ellie - $18,010

2.      Itty Bitty Becca’s Team - $4500

3.      Team Elise - $3145

4.      Friends of King Donovan - $3013

5.      Vivi Lee - $2730

6.      Parker Wilcox - $2100

7.      Lane Team - $2095

8.      MOMS Club of Spring Hill - $1876

9.      Amayah’s Angels - $1685

10.   Ava & Gage - $1641

11.  Rick Team - $1575

12.  Skip Dee Doo Dah - $1505

Butler Baby Boys - $1505

14.  Team KP - $1448

15.  Phi Beta Sigma/Team McMurry and Santiago - $1362

16.  Kaleigh and Braden - $1340

17.  The Grace Walkers - $1315

18.  Team Wilson - $1303

19.  Team Jacob Perryn - $1235

The Happi Hookers - $1235

21.  Jayden's Walkers - $1151

22.  Team JAC - $1120

23.  Cannon and Cailyn - $1095

24.   The Sweet P's - $1085

What a GREAT list!  See you Sunday!

                                                           

                                      

Family Teams Specialist

                       

Family Team Standings

This Sunday, I'm going to do the standings a little bit differently so that you can compare them to the post I did on Friday about the Nashville teams, which you can see here. But first I'm going to give you the top 5 teams from the surrounding counties - those teams participating in our Lewisburg, Lebanon and Murfreesboro walks. Lewisburg had their walk this weekend, so I'll be sure to update you on their totals once I'm back in the office! (New teams are in purple.)

Top 5 County Teams

1. 
   
   Brier's Blessings (Lewisburg) - $1760


2. 
   
   Our Baby Angels (Murfreesboro) - $1125


3. 
   
   Laurie Beebe (Murfreesboro) - $920


4. 
   
   Pink Caddilac Ladies (Murfreesboro) - $690


5. 
   
   Jogging for Jordan (Lebanon) - $560

And now here's an updated listing of all of the Nashville family teams that are over $1,000.

Top Nashville Teams

1. 
   
   Team Ellie - $10,565


2. 
   
   Itty Bitty Becca's Team - $3775


3. 
   
   Team Elise - $2830


4. 
   
   Vivi Lee - $2355


5. 
   
   Lane Team - $1725


6. 
   
   Ava & Gage - $1526


7. 
   
   Friends of King Donovan - $1520


8. 
   
   Skip Dee Doo Dah - $1505


9. 
   
   Parker Wilcox - $1490


10. 
    
    Rick - $1475


11. 
    
    Team KP -$1448


12. 
    
    MOMS Club of Spring Hill - $1216


13. 
    
    Butler Baby Boys - $1170


14. 
    
    Phi Beta Sigma/Team McMurry and Santiago - $1132


15. 
    
    Team Jacob Perryn - $1085


16. 
    
    Amayah's Angels - $1025

These teams have raised over $44,000! That's awesome - that's a lot of babies and families we are helping! We've also got 4 more new teams who are SO close to breaking $1,000. I can't wait to see how many teams are able to do it before our walk on Sunday!

Family Teams Specialist

Family Team Standings

Since we are SO close to walk day in Nashville, I thought I'd post a top 10 of the Nashville teams going into the weekend. It will be interesting to see how these numbers change by Sunday night. Work hard this weekend to bump up your team or to hold your place! Teams in purple are new teams.

1. 
   
   Team Ellie - $10,365


2. 
   
   Itty Bitty Becca's Team - $3630


3. 
   
   Team Elise - $2830


4. 
   
   Vivi Lee - $2355


5. 
   
   Lane Team - $1725


6. 
   
   Friends of King Donovan - $1490


7. 
   
   Rick - $1475


8. 
   
   Skip Dee Doh Dah - $1416


9. 
   
   Team KP - $1448


10. 
    
    Ava & Gage - $1299 (Oh heck, this is so much fun! Let me tell you all the teams that have raised over $1,000!)


11. 
    
    Parker Wilcox - $1270


12. 
    
    MOMS Club of Spring Hill - $1216


13. 
    
    Butler Baby Boys - $1170


14. 
    
    Phi Beta Sigma/Team McMurry and Santiago - $1132


15. 
    
    Team Jacob Perryn - $1085


16. 
    
    Amayah's Angels - $1025

Way to go, everybody!

Family Teams Specialist

Bank Day

 If you’ve walked with us before, you know that our Nashville event is pretty darn big – last year we had 6,000 participants at the walk!  That many people can make for long lines at the registration tables.  Bank Day, held on the Thursday before the march, gives you an opportunity to pick up your registration materials and any t-shirts your team members have earned and to turn in any cash or check donations you have received.  March of Dimes staff members will be set up from 10 - 2 on Thursday, April 14 at the Publix in Cool Springs (8105 Moores Lane, Brentwood), the Regions Bank on West End (3021 West End Ave, Nashville) and at our office (1101 Kermit Dr., Ste. 201, Nashville) to receive your donations and forms and to hand out your materials.  You should receive your bank day forms in your e-mail and snail mail - if you don't please e-mail me at nspeas(at)marchofdimes.com, and I'll send them on to you.

Top Walkers can pick up their special materials, like their VIP pass and their fancy MoD baseball cap, too!  This is the only way to get your VIP parking pass - and trust me, you don't want to miss out on that!

Take care of business at Bank Day – so you can spend more time with your team at March for Babies!  
                                      

                                                                                

Family Teams Specialist