February + May = Love

        When you think February, you probably think Valentine’s Day. Hearts. Love. And while it may not sound terribly romantic, maybe you ought to think about the American Heart Association (AHA) as well. (Stay with me here—this will make sense in a minute.)

        Cardiovascular diseases and stroke are the number one cause of death in Idaho. So, if you love somebody with a heart, it makes sense to help them (and yourself!) take care of that heart. The American Heart Association wants to help you and your loved ones keep your hearts running at peak performance. They educate general and at-risk populations about obesity, heart-healthy nutrition, and heart disease and stroke prevention; they advocate in local communities for smoke-free public places and walker- and biker-friendly roads and parks; and they train millions of Americans in CPR, advanced life support, and defibrillator use and first aid. They also lead the fight in heart and stroke research.

        Which leads us to May. The AHA Heart Walk, the organization’s signature fundraiser, will be held in Boise this year on May 21 at Julia Davis Park. This year over 1,000,000 walkers will participate in more than 600 events across the country. The Heart Walk is free, but participants are strongly urged to collect donations to support the American Heart Association’s mission to reduce death and disability from heart disease and stroke. 

        So, why talk about the May Heart Walk in February? (Here it comes—the big finish where we’re going to tie this together…) Because now is the time to start raising the money that you’ll donate during the Heart Walk so the AHA can continue to protect the hearts of the ones you love and celebrate on Valentine’s Day!

        Asking for donations isn’t as easy these days as it once was, so the Heart Walk website has 101 tips to help you get started (some of their ideas: prom dress parties, silent auctions, and a swear jar!). Visit heart.org, enter your zip code under Local Info, then scroll down to Events in Your Area and click on 2011 Start! Treasure Valley Heart Walk to find information about raising funds and registering for this year’s event. You can also visit americanheart.org for information about heart disease, stroke, and what the AHA is doing to combat these killers.

        So, that’s it—AHA’s wishlist. Raise money to help them help you take care of your heart. Happy Valentine’s Day. 

Donna Bankhead is a contributing writer from Boise.

P.S. February 4 is also National Wear Red Day! goredforwomen.org