• The SSI team at the March for Babies walkathon.
    The SSI team at the March for Babies walkathon.
    The SSI team at the March for Babies walkathon.
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The SSI team at the March for Babies walkathon.
The SSI team at the March for Babies walkathon.

A team from Shelton-based SSI raised $10,000 for the March for Babies fund-raising event on May 4 at Jennings Beach in Fairfield.

The walkathon, organized by the March of Dimes Greater Fairfield County Division, raises money and awareness to help give every baby a healthy start in life.

Based on Research Drive, SSI is a consumer and business survey research company.

Company also made donation

More than 50 SSI employees, family members and friends raised more than $6,900 for the charity walk. The total increased by $3,100 with a contribution by SSI — for a donation of $10,000 by the company and its employees.

“It was a fabulous turnout on a gorgeous Sunday,” said Philippe Bourdon, an SSI employee who has been honored with the 2013 Leadership Award for his volunteer work by the March of Dimes.

“I joined SSI eight months ago and as any volunteer would do, solicited its help in funding the mission, hoping for a small donation specifically for the March for Babies event in Fairfield,” Bourdon said. “I expected something, but I wasn’t prepared for such an overwhelming response.”

Bourdon said SSI formed a committee to raise awareness and then created a walk team. The initial goal was to raise $5,000.

Funds support research, programs

Funds raised in the March for Babies support research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and babies begin healthy lives. Funds will also be used to bring comfort and information to families with a baby in newborn intensive care.

The nonprofit March of Dimes focuses on pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the organization works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Learn more at marchofdimes.org.

Participating SSI employees

SSI employees from Shelton, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Milford, New Haven, Newtown, Southington and Southbury participated in the walkathon.

Here are their names:

Alejandro Barrios

Kimberly Beresky

Cidelia and Philippe Bourdon

Kay Bradley

Christine Cafferty

Maggie Corbett

Peter DeSimone

Domenico Di Pilato

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Donna Geathers

Melissa Geathers

Dylan Gladstone

Raquel Gomes

Lucas Johnson

Andrew Liu

Christopher Lown

Jeanne Mead

Pankaj and Neha Mehta

Brittney Miranda

Nicole Mitchell

Joan Nadel

Andrew and Stacy Nascimento

Michele Ocasio

Sophie Richards

Jesse Roberts

Tina Roberts

Isaiah Roman

Amanda Schneider

Jillian Simpson

Marquita Stevenson

Caithlin Sullivan

John Thompson and Samantha Davis

Leah Vildaver

Steve Winkel

About SSI

Survey Sampling International (SSI) is a global provider of sampling, data collection and data analytic solutions for consumer and business-to-business survey research.

Based in Shelton, it uses the Internet, telephone, mobile/wireless and mixed-access offerings to reach respondents in 86 countries.

The company’s 3,300 employees operate from 25 offices in 18 countries, serving more than 3,000 clients. Learn more at www.surveysampling.com.