Staff report

Lace up those walking shoes and start gearing up for this year’s annual Suffolk March of Dimes’ WalkAmerica, which will be held here on Sunday, April 27.

Any group, organization or business interested in forming a team for this year’s walk should come out to the Rally, or call Charlotte Harrell at the March of Dimes regional office at 361-0000 or Bethanne Bradshaw, Suffolk walk chair, at 925-5500(w) or 925-1202(h).

The Suffolk WalkAmerica is set for Sunday, April 27th, beginning at 12:30 p.m.

An estimated 600 walkers will be gathering behind the Mills E. Godwin Courthouse complex and will start their five-mile walk at 1:30 p.m.

Festivities at the start and finish line will include costumed characters, clowns, facepainting, warm-up exercises, DJ music and free hot dogs and drinks when the walkers return.

Teams registered to date include Applebee’s Restaurant, BB&T, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, CitiFinancial, Community Electric, The Children’s Center, City of Suffolk, First Federal Savings Bank, First Virginia Bank/Hampton Roads, First Baptist Christian School, Lake Prince Center, Lakeview Medical Center, Main Street Day Care & Preschool, Mothers of Preschoolers, Nansemond River Pilot Club, Obici Hospital, Sara Lee Coffee & Tea, Suffolk Health Department, Suffolk Pentecostal Holiness Church, Suffolk Parks & Recreation Department, Suffolk Police Department, Suffolk Public Schools, Virginia Employment Commission, Vicare, Wilroy Baptist Church, and Zuni Presbyterian Homes.

Sponsors for the 2003 Suffolk Walk include Gold Sponsor Ciba Specialty Chemicals; t-shirt sponsor QVC; start/finish sponsor Physical Therapy Works; mission sign sponsors Duke Automotive and Starr Motors; and mile post marker sponsors Lakeview Medical Center, Sharon’s Hair Designs, Suffolk Pentecostal Holiness Church, Suffolk Public Schools, and Supreme Petroleum.