About 250 people lined up at Hopkins Park, 1403 Sycamore Road, on Saturday to walk to help America in its fight to protect babies.

“The March of Dime’s mission is to raise awareness about premature births,” said Kim Wales, community involvement director of Wal-Mart, 2300 Sycamore Road, and the March of Dimes WalkAmerica chairman. “They help by giving education in literature and raising knowledge within the community.”

The WalkAmerica participants raised money by getting pledges to donate a flat fee.

“This year’s goal is $25,000,” Wales said. “In past years, we’ve reached $23,000 to $24,000, so it’s very possible to reach our goal today. “

There were mothers, fathers, grandparents and children present at the event, which was presented by Wal-Mart.

Each participant had his or her own special reason for walking.

“I am walking in memory of my neighbors,” said Kim Griswold, a WalkAmerica participant. “They were little twins and they didn’t make it very long due to their premature birth. I want to help make it so that doesn’t happen to anyone else.”

Each participant received a flag on which they could write who or what they were walking for. The flags then were placed in a field near the starting point of the walk, called the Field of Hope.

The honorary chairman of the event was Mayor Greg Sparrow, who has a special connection with the March of Dimes because of his own personal bout with polio as a young child.

“If it wasn’t for [the March of Dimes and the walk participants], there would be so many more children that would have to suffer the way I did, and no one deserves that,” Sparrow said.

WalkAmerica is an annual event that takes place during the last weekend of April.

“Today went so well,” said Jennifer Groce, community director of the March of Dimes. “This is just another amazing example of how this community has unending generosity and dedication to helping out the babies of America.”