March of Dimes March... for Babies?

My cousin recently contacted me via an email message with this subject: "Please join me in supporting March of Dimes March for Babies". I was so concerned that I had to respond immediately.

Here is my response. If you know of others who are considering comparable efforts, I would urge you to reply similarly.

Liz,

I'll read this message later. I was so concerned by the subject, that I feel the need to respond immediately.

I don't think there should be a march for babies and I cannot support it. Unless, of course, it is a very short march. Babies tire easily and, because their bones and joints are still fairly soft and loose, the stress of a march -- let alone an accidental fall, as they are also fairly clumsy -- could cause long-lasting or even permanent injury.

Perhaps the adults could simply drive the babies to the final destination of the march. If not, I would suggest instead that adults march on behalf of the babies, though I'm not sure why the babies needed to march -- or where they needed to go -- in the first place. Instead of raising money for babies to march, these adults could raise money to improve the health and well-being of the aforementioned babies. For example, people could sponsor the adults to walk to the destination established by the babies. Or, if they were unable to ascertain that destination (as babies are known to not be effective communicators of detailed directions), they could simply make a symbolic march of say four miles or so for which they might be sponsored at established levels of $100, $75, $50, $25, or Other Amount $____. I could support that.

Please! Do it for the babies.

Love,
~Tim