Local heart board selling ‘Go Red for Women’ tote bags

Staff

Published Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Pike County Chapter of the American Heart Association is gearing up for the 2009 Heart Walk set for Feb. 19 at Cattleman Park.

Tracey Davis, chair of the local heart board, said this year’s fundraising campaign has a goal of $35,000 and she believes that it’s doable even in difficult economic times.

“Heart disease and strokes are the number one killer in America and we want to change that and we can through research and innovations in treatment and preventive measures,” she said.

But those things don’t come without cost and fundraising is where the American Heart Association takes the lead.

The Pike County American Heart Association fundraising campaign is under way and teams are coming up with creative ideas on how the goal can be reached and hopefully surpassed.

The heart board has “Go Red for Women” tote bags available for sale for only $10 each. The bags are handy for many purposes but no purpose is greater than the contribution to the fight against heart disease and stroke.”

Davis said the bags are very attractive and useful and the funds raised are used in the fight against heart disease.

The Pike County Heart Association board encourages the purchase of these bags in support of the American Heart Association.

The bags may be purchased by calling Davis at 334-372-5099.

Davis has been involved with the Pike County Heart Association for nine years. As an employee of Troy Bank & Trust, she answered the call for Heart Association volunteers.

However, unlike many who volunteer for charitable organizations, Davis’ reason was not personal.

“I’m fortunate that my family doesn’t have a history of heart disease,” she said. “I just wanted to do something to help others, something to give back to the community, so I volunteered.”

Davis laughingly said, once a volunteer, always a volunteer.

She sees no end to her volunteerism with the American Heart Association. She has seen the good that has come through the association’s fundraising efforts and wants to continue to be a part of it.

“I want to encourage everyone to join our efforts to reach our goal this year,” she said. “We have teams that are already organized and working and we will gladly add other teams as they come on board. We also appreciate sponsors and sponsorships begin at $100. A thousand dollars is the top level of sponsor recognition but we will certainly accept more.”

School participation provides a big boost to the fundraising campaign.

“We like to see young people get involved,” she said. “Each year, the children at Mothers’ Day Out at First Baptist raise money for the campaign and we really appreciate that. Young people are the future of the campaign.”

The Pike County Heart Walk will be Feb. 19 at Cattleman Park and everyone is encouraged to mark that date in red on their calendar and make plans to be a part of a successful 2009 Pike County Heart Walk campaign.

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