The tradition of being America’s Greatest is alive and well. The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) is proud to announce a new fundraising total for the 2017 America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk. The event has now raised $1,068,372. The new total is a $92,000 increase over the total announced during Heart Weekend on March 4th.
America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk has raised $1 million or more each year since 2000. During the 2017 event, very cold temperatures understandably kept many walkers and runners home, putting the $1 million goal in jeopardy.
“We put the call out to this community that we needed you,” said Dan Jones of Northwestern Mutual, the chairman of the 2017 America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk. “We asked you to help us reach this lofty but important goal. In the final hours of Heart Weekend, and in the weeks following the event, I’m proud to say you answered the call. On behalf of all the volunteers and staff members that work so hard on America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to this community for rallying around us and keeping the tradition of being America’s Greatest alive.”
The new fundraising total reflects money raised before, during, and after Heart Weekend. The AHA/ASA thanks the many people who have continued to donate in the weeks since the event.
“The support we have received has been incredible,” said Jennifer Balog, Executive Director of the AHA/ASA in Greater Utica. “Because of you, we can truly make an impact on the health of our community.”
Money raised at events like America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk help fund lifesaving research, education, and advocacy programs. Here in the Greater Utica area, those programs include funding local organizations through Community Impact Grants, training more than 1,400 people in Hands-Only CPR, advocating for Hands-Only CPR instruction in high schools, the Get With The Guidelines and Mission: Lifeline programs ensuring evidenced-based care for patients in local hospitals, and other community education and outreach programs.
America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk 2017 is locally sponsored by signature sponsor NYCM Insurance; local sponsors Scalzo, Zogby and Wittig, Inc. Insurance; MetLife & MetLife Foundation; Carbone Auto Group; AmeriCU Credit Union, and Planet Fitness. It is sponsored nationally by SUBWAY® Restaurants.
For more information on America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk, visit www.UticaHeartRunWalk.org.