PADUCAH, KY - The Kentucky Chapter of the March of Dimes said this week that, although they are closing their fundraising office for the Purchase/Pennyrile region, that does not mean there will not be a March of Dimes presence in the western part of the state. 

Don Schieman is Kentucky's March of Dimes Executive Director. He said on Monday that a new operational model will mean fundraising for the Purchase/Pennyrile region will be headquartered in another city, perhaps Bowling Green or Owensboro. 

"The community volunteers and leadership that embrace the March of Dimes take a greater role in setting up things and interacting with the community. So we have a support staff person that works out of a community that's two or three hours away. This has worked extremely well...," noting that earlier this year, the Ashland/Boyd County March of Dimes walk was "phenomenally" successful, but was handled by a staff person in the Lexington office.

Schieman says the new operational model creates less infrastructure for the organization, and allows them to more clearly focus on their mission.

It has not been determined which city will oversee fundraising efforts in west Kentucky.