"WalkAmerica '94," organized by the March of Dimes, hikes off on its annual pilgrimage against birth defects Saturday in towns throughout the country.

In Utah, 24 walks are planned in cities from St. George to Logan. Salt Lake City's nine-mile march leaves Sugarhouse Park, between 1300 East and 1500 East on 2100 South, at 9 a.m. Walkers will return to the park about 31/2 or four hours later.The event is the oldest fund-raiser for the March of Dimes, formerly known as the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. The foundation was established to fight polio in 1938.

In 1954 - starting 40 years ago this month - the foundation sponsored the first national tests of the Salk polio vaccine, inoculating 1.8 million American schoolchildren. The tests proved that a killed polio virus vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk prevented the disease.

Drives to make sure children were vaccinated resulted in nearly wiping out the ancient scourge of polio. At that time, the foundation considered disbanding.

"That (fighting polio) was our sole reason for existence back then," said Dick Leavitt, director of science information for the March of Dimes, based in White Plains, N.Y.

But the foundation's battle against polio was so successful, "people felt that instead of just disbanding, it might turn its attention to problems in addition to, and other than, polio. And we rather soon settled on birth defects."

Renamed the March of Dimes, it continues to sponsor research to help prevent birth defects.

Today's targets include spina bifida, a sometimes-crippling abnormality in which the baby's spinal column is open; hydro-ceph-a-lus, characterized by water on the brain, and other problems.

One of the March of Dimes' campaigns involves educating women about the importance of getting the proper amount of folic acid. This B vitamin can help prevent both spina bifida and anencephaly, a fatal defect in which a baby is born with a severely undeveloped skull and brain.

About 4,000 Utahns are expected to participate in this year's walk, with organizers hoping to raise $250,000.

The Salt Lake walk may have as many as 110 teams representing companies contributing to the effort, plus many individual volunteers. "We're going to have great weather this year - I promise," said Dr. Wayne Provost, chairman of Utah WalkAmerica.

Last year, he added, walkers splashed through rain and sleet, but the event was successful never-the-less.

Gary Swensen, spokesman for the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation in Salt Lake City, said people not registered are invited to sign up at the park before the walk begins. They should arrive between 7:30 and 8 a.m. on Saturday.

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"The walk itself begins at nine," he said.

Hikers will go from Sugarhouse Park, north along 1500 East, then along 1300 South to Wasatch Drive. Next the walk heads along Foothill Boulevard to 900 South, along 900 South to 700 East, from 700 East to 2100 South, and then back to the park.

Swensen said a bagpipe band will lead the marchers as they take off and that they will be able to get cookies, water or punch at 10 checkpoints along the route.

Money raised in the walks throughout this state will be used for research, education and community programs in Utah, according to planners.

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