Want soup?
“Bowls for Babies” is a March of Dimes program where business people, local artists, students, service organization members, and others will design and paint soup bowls that will be glazed and fired and available at the “Bowls for Babies” event Thursday October 24, 2013 from 11 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. at the Eagles Club. People will be able to pay an admission fee, view the bowls, select their favorite and then have another bowl (keep yours clean) filled with a delicious soup from an area participating restaurant for their lunch. Participants will be able to keep the painted and glazed bowl as a souvenir.
On Tuesday September 13th, during their regular noon meeting at Prante’s, members heard about “Bowls for Babies” and the March of Dimes from Giant Snacks Alternative Channels Manager Kristen Mumm. Giant Snacks, Gate City Bank and Essentia Health are all local sponsors of the event. This is the first year for the Bowls for Babies even in the Wahpeton-Breckenridge area. It has happen in Fargo for the past several years and last year raised $ 50,000 for the March of Dimes whose slogan is “working together for stronger healthier babies”.
Kristen Mumm demonstrating a bowl waiting to be painted.
Founded in 1938 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, himself a polio victim, its initial mission was to fight polio by raising “dimes” for polio research. Since the development of the polio vaccines in the 1950’s its mission has changed to promoting general health for pregnant women and babies. Of late some of this has been an emphasis on the importance of folic acid in the diet of prenatal women to prevent neural tube defects.
In North Dakota 81 % of the money raised goes to its mission. This money and “pass through grants” go to programs such as the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit Support program at Essentia Health and supporting March of Dimes personnel to assist with education programs such as the Tri-State Tribal Health Conference; The “Coming of Blessings” trainings in Native American communities; and Annual Perinatal Symposiums.
