Rochester, NY – – Over 7,000 individuals joined the American Heart Association April 6th to help fight heart disease and stroke at the Rochester Heart Walk & Run at Frontier Field. The event was a celebration of the American Heart Association’s year-round opportunities to create a healthier Rochester. Dan Burns, SVP and President of M&T Bank’s Rochester Region & Donna Shultz, Founder, President & CEO of Mirror Show Management co-chaired the 2019 Heart Walk & Run raising $763,000 up over last year which raised $760,000. Money raised will fund local research, education, advocacy, community programs and awareness.
This year marks the 29th year the Rochester Heart Walk & Run has taken place. M&T Bank and Mirror Show Management were the presenting sponsors. It was the fourth year of the 5K Run timed by Fleet Feet Sports/YellowJacket Racing. This year the Run was sponsored by Paychex.
“Our work is made possible by countless dedicated volunteers and corporate sponsors. Without their support, we could not continue to move our community toward better health throughout the year,” said Dan Burns, SVP and President of M&T Bank’s Rochester Region.
Each year a local honoree is celebrated with the Lifestyle Change award, sponsored by CooperVision. This year the Lifestyle Change award was given to a couple, Kevin and Yeonmo McCann, of McCann’s Local Meats. They are local chefs, who together have lost 200 pounds.
“Kevin and Yeonmo McCann are why CooperVision is committed to health and wellness through our corporate culture and local initiatives,” said Joan Martt, OneVision Program V.P., of CooperVision. “They exemplified an awareness and commitment to a healthier lifestyle, before they had any health event. They worked together to get started, and then developed a passion to sustain. They have become role models for their children, and employees, and have adopted an incredible and practical approach to living healthier lives.”
A signature feature of the Rochester Heart Walk & Run was the media challenge, sponsored by UR Medicine. Local media participated for the third year in a row, inviting members of our community to join their walk teams in support of the Rochester Heart Walk & Run. The campaign kicked off in February and ran until today, including iHeartRadio, News10NBC, and Stephens Media Group.
Burns and Shultz also announced the chair for the 2020 Rochester Heart Walk & Run, Pete Giovenco, CEO of Bergmann Associates.
Heart Walk & Run participants celebrated a healthy lifestyle by walking or running with co-workers, friends and family, and learning about their risk for heart disease and stroke. Volunteers from Rochester Regional Health and UR Medicine were on hand to do blood pressure screenings. The UR Medicine Mobile Stroke Unit was also on-site. Blood pressure is a leading cause of stroke, the No. 5 killer nationally and still the No.3 killer in Rochester.
News10NBC Team
Other activities included a photo-op area by photographer John Schlia, healthy snacks by Bonduelle, coffee courtesy of Tim Horton’s and water courtesy of Amiel’s Original Subs.
iHeartMedia provided the music while Nikki Rudd and Brett Davidsen of News10NBC emceed the Heart Walk & Run. Sound was courtesy of CMI. The National Anthem was sung by Brianna Collichio. The overall 5K Female Open winner was Emily Thompson with a time of 18:29 and Aaron Bellomo was the Male Open winner with a time of 16:15.
Donations are being accepted online at www.Rochesterheartwalkrun.org. For more information, visit www.heart.org/RochesterNY or by calling the American Heart Association at 585-371-3117.
Other local sponsors include: Arthur J. Gallagher, Bergmann, Bonduelle, Constellation Brands, CooperVision, the Crane Family Foundation, Dixon Schwabl, ESL Community Foundation, Harris Beach, LeChase Construction, LiDestri Food and Drink, Mower, New York Beef Council, R Care Inc., Rochester Regional Health, RIT, R.W. Dake & Co. Inc., Sage Rutty, St. John Fisher College, Wegmans, Windstream, Workers United Rochester Regional Joint Board, and Xceed Financial Credit Union.
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**Photos available upon request
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jackie Mangione, Regional Communications Director, American Heart Association
C/585.967.7749 E/[email protected]
About the Rochester American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers in Rochester. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The American Heart Association is dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved with the Rochester affiliate, call 1-585-371-3112, visit the local website www.heart.org/RochesterNY. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.