Harris Products Group Partners with March of Dimes

As a Presenting Sponsor, Harris donated $7,500 to the non-profit’s March for Babies walk that takes place on April 20. Its local manufacturing facility will also have teams made up of employees and their families and support the event with volunteers and other assistance.

Every day in the U.S., an average of 1,487 babies are born prematurely – one out of every eight babies. For 75 years, the March of Dimes has been working to combat this and improve the health of babies and mothers.

In Hall County, The Harris Products Group (Mason, OH) has partnered with the local chapter for many years and this year, the company signed on as the Presenting Sponsor for the March for Babies, the organization’s signature fundraising event this spring. Ira Vea Bennett, marketing director for the company, was part of the event kick-off on February 7.

As a Presenting Sponsor, Harris donated $7,500 to the non-profit’s March for Babies walk on April 20, 2013, at 10 am at Longwood Park in Gainesville. Harris, which operates a manufacturing facility located at 2345 Murphy Boulevard, will also have teams made up of employees and their families and support the event with volunteers and other assistance, as in previous years.

Three Harris employees are active on the board of the local chapter, Bennett, Heather Connor and Beth Elliot. Harris will also work with other local sponsors to generate excitement surrounding the walk. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Hall County chapter’s efforts to prevent premature birth and birth defects and support families affected by them.

Since its first event in 1970, the March of Dimes has raised $2.6 billion to prevent premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality. “This is an incredible organization whose cause is close to everyone’s heart,” Bennett said. “We are a family-centered company, so to partner with a charity that is focused on bringing healthy babies into the world is an honor.”

Bennett said the mission of the March of Dimes inspires her personally. A colleague delivered her baby prematurely. Both he and his mother received excellent medical care, and he is now a healthy little boy, she said. “The advances they’ve made for the health of mothers and babies are incredible. Doctors and nurses are able to perform miracles every day, and that’s to the credit of the research, education and awareness made possible by the March of Dimes.”

Funds raised by the Hall County March for Babies will stay local, helping the chapter start and grow existing programs that help improve the health of babies.

“It’s important to our Gainesville team to help our neighbors, organizations like this who work hard to bring life-changing assistance to local families in need,” said David J. Nangle, the president of The Harris Products Group. “Our partnership with Hall County March of Dimes goes back many years, and we’re pleased to be able to step up to the roll of Presenting Sponsor. Our involvement with the March of Dimes is rewarding because our team is so passionate about this cause.”

In addition to education and information, the Hall County March of Dimes offers Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Family Support, where vital information and comfort is given to families struggling with newborn complications.

“The Harris Products Group has been a passionate partner, committed to helping support our mission with walkers that have participated for over 40 years,” said Wyatt. “We are thrilled to have them in our corner as our presenting sponsor in the community will also help us further our efforts to insure all babies are born healthy.”

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies®, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality through research and advocacy. www.marchofdimes.com

The Harris Products Group, a Lincoln Electric Company (Cleveland, OH), is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of cutting, welding, brazing and soldering equipment and consumables and gas distribution systems. Harris products are sold and used in more than 90 countries. Named a 2012 Industry Week Best Plant for excellence in manufacturing, the company’s Mason facility also serves as its international corporate headquarters. www.harrisproductsgroup.com