Convicted of kindness, three dozen people raised money for Minnesota babies this week from a March of Dimes jail in Albert Lea. The jailbirds served their time behind bars Wednesday, Aug. 12, at Panzer, Koch & Associates of Ameriprise Financial on East Main Street. Their only way to get out of the big house was to raise a big bail. The money raised benefits the March of Dimes mission to help every baby have a healthy start.

The jailbirds raised more than $11,000! That total includes money raised online to date and money pledged to jailbirds from friends, family and co-workers. The top jailbird is Brian Johnson, from Thompson Farms. He raised $1,100.

Other notable jailbirds included the Rev. Matt Griggs from East Freeborn Lutheran Church. Griggs came through for babies, raising nearly $725. One jailbird was Paula Juveland from the Albert Lea Senior Citizens Center. Juveland spent days walking around the Albert Lea Mall in full costume and a March of Dimes sign collecting donations. Her efforts paid off, she raised $723.

Along with the support from Dan Panzer and Gregg Koch of Panzer, Koch & Associates, Albert Lea Medical sponsored the event with a $500 donation.

The March of Dimes ambassadors for the Albert Lea Jail & Bail were Lincoln, Lila and Christian Quail. The triplets were born on Dec.17, 2007, at just 31 weeks.

Weighing in at: 3 pounds 9 ounces, 2 pounds 9 ounces and 2 pounds, they spent their first seven weeks in the St. Mary’s NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).

During Tina’s pregnancy it was discovered that Lila had trouble with her umbilical cord, where she was not getting the nutrients she needed. At birth, Lincoln had a heart murmur that resulted in surgery to close a valve in his heart. He also had an intestinal disease that was treated. The good care in the NICU helped everyone get healthy and big enough to go home on Feb. 5, 2008.

Today, the triplets are strong, healthy, active toddlers. “I watched them playing in the park recently, sliding and climbing, and it was one of those teary eyed moments, thinking of how they are miracles,” said their mother Tina Quail.

It is because of programs and research funded by the March of Dimes that the triplets and their family got the support they needed. Lincoln, Lila, and Christian’s parents, Brian and Tina are forever grateful to the March of Dimes for funding research to develop surfactant, a treatment for the lungs of preterm babies. They are most grateful for the NICU, a concept that the March of Dimes originated for the specialized care of sick newborns, that they pushed for in every state.

Notorious for their support of babies, the jailbirds in Albert Lea learned about the problem of prematurity in Minnesota. In an average week, 148 babies are born too soon or small and face a variety of medical problems. The March of Dimes has invested over $1.8 million dollars in active research grants at the University of Minnesota and Mayo Clinic to help uncover the causes and treatments of birth defects, prematurity and low birth weight.

More Minnesota citizens will be jailed this summer and fall in communities around Minnesota. From Worthington to Duluth and Faribault to Alexandria, the March of Dimes will encourage jailbirds to raise big bails for babies.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premiere event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.