2,500 Walk to Benefit Birth Defects Research

Participants in the annual WalkAmerica’s Warner Walk for the March of Dimes relished strolling along under a warm spring sun Thursday, giving up their lunch hours to help raise funds for the charity.

About 2,500 people participated in the fund-raiser, many of them employees of Warner Center businesses. They clustered in groups, wearing colorful T-shirts representing their employers and chatted amicably during the 1 1/2-mile trek.

The money raised will help finance research and prevention of birth defects, education of expectant mothers and services for afflicted babies and their parents.

“I’m healthy and I’m lucky that I have two healthy children,” said April Sudol, an employee of Superior Pacific, an insurance company. “But if I didn’t, I’d like to know that there are people out there who are giving up their time to a good cause.”

Organizers did not have a final tally of the money raised, but said they surpassed their goal of $100,000.

The success of the event, organizers said, is a combination of longevity--the Warner Center march is in its 16th year--and the sponsorship of many of the large employers in the area, who encourage their employees to participate.

Artie Southam, president/CEO of Health Net, said that it may also help that a number of the sponsors are in the health care industry.

“These are people who work in the health care field and they are oriented toward prevention, and they recognize how important it is to start life on a healthy foot,” Southam said.