BUSINESSES CAN HELP MARCH OF DIMES DRIVE

There's a new judge in town, and she's accusing local business owners of supporting the Campaign for Healthier Babies.

Kim Groves, an administrator at St. Francis Medical Center, is the court judge issuing warrants for the March of Dimes Phantom Jail and Bail fund-raiser. Groves said she got involved because the agency helped her during her last pregnancy.

"I feel very fortunate to have three healthy children," she said. "In 1992, I participated in a March of Dimes survey that tracked my progress during pregnancy. It was geared towards research on prematurity.

"During my last pregnancy, the March of Dimes made me aware of folic acid and its importance in the development of a healthy baby. There is a lot of information available to assist women who plan to have children."

Approximately 1,200 warrants were mailed to business owners in Cape Girardeau and outlying areas this week. Each business owner was ordered by Groves to pay a $35 fine by Tuesday.

"The warrant says if they pay the fine they don't have to appear in court or go to jail," said Matt Hopkins, March of Dimes division director for Southeast Missouri. "I think everyone likes that deal."

Hopkins said $8,800 has already been raised from business owners in Dexter, Farmington, Malden, and Poplar Bluff. Cape Girardeau raised over $4,000 last year, he said, and are hoping for $6,000 this year. Proceeds from the fund-raiser will go to support research, education, and advocacy, which are the three areas of emphasis for the March of Dimes, Hopkins said.

Hopkins said people in Southeast Missouri should be aware of issues regarding pregnancy and childbirth, because the statistics are very bad in this area.

"In the Bootheel, statistics are a lot worse than in other parts of the state," Hopkins said. "They are also bad when compared to national statistics."

For more information on the Phantom Jail and Bail Campaign or the March of Dimes, contact Matt Hopkins at 573-651-6033.