Village Idiot Pizza is continuing its annual tradition of decorating pizza boxes to raise money for “Pizza for Preemies.”

The restaurant’s partner for the event is the March of Dimes, a non-profit organization whose goal is to raise money to fund research in helping mothers and infants through premature births.  

Village Idiot Pizza co-owners, Brian and Kelly Glynn, started their own way to raise money eight years ago when the couple’s now-thriving twins were born prematurely at 28 weeks.  

“It was a cause that was obviously near and dear to us, and we said we could do something with this,” Brian Glynn said. “We started it right after the twins were born, and we keep watching it grow over the years. It’s become a part of us.” 

Brian and Kelly started a new part of the event this year. Children and their families are able to come in and decorate pizza boxes to be used when they donate pizza to the families and staff at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital in Columbia later in the month. The NICU is a specialized unit in hospitals that treats babies who are premature or have serious health conditions.  

Customers support the cause through donations or simply enjoying pizza, since a portion of sales also go to the charity. 

“Every person that walks in the door all month, is supporting March of Dimes, whether they know it or not,” Kelly Glynn said. “Proceeds from the whole month’s sales are going to March of Dimes.”  

November is National Premature Awareness Month. The Glynns through the years have raised $72,000 to send to the March of Dimes.  

“The research and advancements of the March of Dimes is why babies can graduate from the NICU and thrive,” Kelly Glynn said. “A lot of premature babies have significant health issues, that are also supported by the research of the March of Dimes.” 

Village Idiot Pizza also partnered with Cola Baby for the event. 

“Cola Baby is a local mom group, and we do events to get moms together to get out the house,” Cola Baby member Sarah Hamby said. “We also try to support our moms through doing local meetups like this that support a cause.” 

Several Cola Baby moms and their young children stopped by to color the pizza boxes. 

“’March’ does much for premature birth, research, awareness,” Kelly Glynn said. “Coming out of the NICU, we saw an opportunity to raise awareness and money.”