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Kalam,
left, and Sylaris turned nine on Saturday. They were
due seven weeks later on April 1,
so they tell their mom it was the
“ultimate April Fools joke.”
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2014
March for Babies Ambassadors part of Early Bird family
By Bob Robinson
GREENVILLE – The Official Ambassadors for the local 2014 March for
Babies campaign are two precocious 9-year-olds from Union City, Ind.
Sylaris and Kalam are the daughters of Shannie Denney, production
manager at The Early Bird. Angelé Price, March of Dimes community
director, made the announcement at the campaign Kick Off luncheon Feb.
6 at Wayne Hospital.
“To say they are a bit precocious,” Denney said, smiling, “is an
understatement.” The twins were born Feb. 8, 2005, seven weeks early.
“Syli at 6:12, Kali at 6:13. Syli never lets us forget who’s the
oldest.” When Syli (Sylaris) was born she had to be resuscitated. They
got her to breathe and put her on a breathing machine for 12 hours.
Kali (Kalam) was born just fine. Both had to be treated for jaundice
and were kept in enclosed incubators for two weeks.
“Angelé and I were talking after she made her presentation here (at the
Early Bird),” Denney said. “I told her I had premature twins. She
suggested I apply for them to be the local 2014 Ambassadors.”
The March of Dimes goal for this area is $110,000, an increase of
$4,000 over 2013. It is spearheaded by Shawn Daugherty, Greenville
Federal Bank, with the assistance of Price and March of Dimes Division
Director Jackie Allen. The walk will take place on the Darke County
Fairgrounds April 26. The goal? To improve the health of babies through
research and education.
Denney’s twins were due April 1. Their early arrival was not unusual
where twins are involved. They tell their mom it’s their “ultimate
April Fool’s joke.” The trials started much earlier for Denney. She was
on bed rest for three weeks. Then she was taken to Miami Valley
hospital and placed in intensive care for three days. They gave her
steroids so the lungs of the babies would develop. Finally, they took
her off anti-contraction medications and a little over an hour later
the girls were born by Emergency C-Section.
Today they are “super-healthy” nine-year-old third graders who are at
the top of their class.
Seventy-five years ago Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a victim of polio,
asked the nation to send a dime to the White House to fight the
disease. Millions of dimes were sent. Today there is a vaccine and
polio has been eradicated. Since then the March of Dimes has expanded
its goal to help people like Denney and the other 500,000 families
impacted by premature birth each year.
Bill LaFramboise, Greenville Technology, Inc. covered a variety of ways
his company got employees involved. Darke County Municipal Judge Julie
Monnin and Daugherty did the same. Top individual fundraiser in 2013,
Kenneth Knapke, told how he was able to raise $3,520.
“We as a society are very giving,” said Daugherty. “It’s what makes us
a great community. And Darke County is the best I’ve ever seen.”
March for Babies has noted its “best practices” for 2014: the
multi-channel approach – online, social media, in person, letters and
vendor outreach; increase use of online and social media; recruit more
walkers; and register every team and family member individually. To
register a team or request additional information contact Price in
Dayton at 294-3330.
Local sponsors for the 2014 March for Babies walk are Greenville
Technology, Wayne HealthCare, Greenville Federal and Second National
Bank.
Published courtesy
of The Early Bird
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Kalam
shortly after birth.
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Sylaris
shortly after birth.
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