STATE COLLEGE – In just two months, hundreds of individuals from throughout Centre County and the surrounding area will gather to take strides against the community’s number one and number four killers, heart disease and stroke, at this year’s Centre County Heart Walk.
The annual walk is to raise awareness about heart disease and stroke prevention and to raise funds for the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. It will take place Sept. 29 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Millbrook Marsh Nature Center in State College.
Each year families, friends and co-workers form walking teams to raise funds and to participate in the Heart Walk. Many teams walk in honor of a loved one affected by heart disease or stroke or to simply get some exercise with a group of friends for a good cause.
Individuals or teams interested in participating in the Centre County Heart Walk can register their team and walkers at www.heart.org/centrewalk. The Web site provides walkers with more information and tools to help them ask for and track donations.
The Heart Walk is a family and pet-friendly event featuring vendors, health information, team photos, kids’ activities and more. The fundraising goal for this year’s Centre County Heart Walk is $65,000. Walkers who raise a minimum of $100 will receive a Heart Walk T-shirt and the opportunity to receive additional prizes based on their fundraising levels.
Dollars raised by the American Heart Association through events like the Heart Walk fund cardiovascular disease and stroke research, as well as public and professional programs and advocacy. The American Heart Association’s 2020 Impact Goal is to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent by the year 2020.
For more information about the 2013 Centre County Heart Walk, visit www.heart.org/centrewalk or contact Stephanie Fost at centre.ahw@heart.org or 814-548-7634.
About Heart Walk
Each day nearly 2,300 Americans die from a cardiovascular disease, an average of one death every 38 seconds. A leading risk factor for heart attack and stroke is lack of physical activity. Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s signature fundraising event, promoting physical activity and heart healthy living in a fun, family environment. By promoting a healthy culture, everyone can walk towards a healthier lifestyle and fight the greatest health threat to the United States.
About the American Heart Association
Founded in 1924, it’s the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. To help prevent, treat and defeat these diseases — America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers — we fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocate to protect public health. For more information about the American Heart Association, visit www.heart.org.
