The March of Dimes kicked off its 2014 Beaufort March for Babies fundraising campaign on Tuesday, February 4 at Outback Steakhouse.

[caption id="attachment_14994" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jensen-Family.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-14994" alt="Nathan and Rebecca Jensen, with their twins Charlotte and Asher, are the 2014 Ambassador family for the Beaufort March for Babies." src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Jensen-Family-300x199.jpeg" width="300" height="199" /></a> Nathan and Rebecca Jensen, with their twins Charlotte and Asher, are the 2014 Ambassador family for the Beaufort March for Babies.[/caption]

Individuals, families and businesses throughout Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties attended the event and will be raising funds for Beaufort March for Babies, which will be held on Saturday, April 12 at 9 a.m. at Naval Heritage Park in Port Royal.

During the kickoff, team captains received their fundraising materials, celebrated top fundraisers from 2013 and met the Jensen family, the 2014 Ambassador family. This year’s Beaufort March for Babies goal is $96,000. The event raised more than $89,000 in 2013.

March for Babies raises funds for vital research to help prevent premature birth and birth defects and to support community programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies. South Carolina continues to have one of the highest premature birth rates in the country, ranking 48th out of the 50 states. In Beaufort County, one in seven babies is born prematurely.

In Beaufort, Nathan and Rebecca Jensen were touched by premature birth in October 2012. Their twins Charlotte Rose and Asher Wyatt were born at just 28 weeks on October 18, 2012. Asher weighed 2 pounds, 9 ounces at birth, and Charlotte weighed just 2 pounds, 4 ounces.

Beaufort March for Babies Chairman Jimmy Boozer says, “For more than 75 years the March of Dimes has been touching the lives of babies and families. We invite our community to join March for Babies and raise money to help more families know the joy of a healthy baby!”

This year’s event is sponsored by Beaufort Memorial Hospital, Beaufort Pediatrics and Vaden of Beaufort. For more information on getting involved with March for Babies, contact Jimmy Boozer at 843-521-3891 or Ashley Lindquist at 843-614-3356.

For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. Find out how you can raise funds to prevent premature birth and birth defects by registering for March for Babies at marchforbabies.org. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com/southcarolina. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
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