LORDSTOWN - The March of Dimes received a $65,000 check Thursday morning from a fundraiser held at the General Motors Co. Lordstown Complex, which also raised awareness of motorcycle riders with its annual motorcycle ride into the plant.
The amount raised by a 50-50 raffle and ticket sales for 207 prizes donated by area merchants is the largest amount ever raised in the Mahoning Valley for the March of Dimes and double the amount raised last year, said Connie Knight, community director for the charity.
The Lordstown amount, which exceeded the charity's goal by more than $20,000 and GM's goal by $15,000 will lift the local charity to slightly more than $157,000 for the year.
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"It's been an amazing year, thanks to leadership from Bob Parcell, Glenn Johnson and Dave Green," Knight said, referring to GM Lordstown plant manager, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112 and president of UAW Local 1714. "Without them, we wouldn't have come nearly as close."
March of Dimes, which held its March for Babies Sunday in Austintown, works to save babies born prematurely or with defects. Its walk started in 1970, making it the nation's longest-running nonprofit, Knight said.
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Tribune Chronicle / Larry Ringler
Sonja Woods, left, chairwoman of the General Motors Co. Lordstown Complex Bike Show; Connie Knight, center, Mahoning Valley Community director of the March of Dimes; and Gary “Bones” Mowen, founder of the plant’s annual motorcycle awareness event, hold a mock check for $65,000 raised by workers for the March of Dimes. In back from left are Tim O’Hara, UAW Local 1112 vice president, plant Personnel Director Joe Piechocki, and UAW Local 1112 President Glenn Johnson.