Although the annual Pike County Heart Walk fund-raising event for the American Heart Association is not until Feb. 17, 2011, the Pike County Heart Board is busy making plans for this worthy cause.

Annette Toney, board president, said the major portion of the funds raised annually come from sponsorships.

“Sponsorships are very important because they are such a large part of our fund-raising efforts,” she said. “Members of our board are out now securing sponsorships for our 2011 fund-raising campaign.”

The Pike County Heart Board offers several levels of sponsorship beginning with bronze sponsorships at $100. Silver sponsorships are $250-$499, gold, $500-$999 and platinum, $1,000 or more.

Sponsors will have their names listed on a huge banner at the Heart Walk on Feb. 17 as well as being recognized on the local cable station and in newspaper articles.

“Every penny that is donated to the Pike County Heart Walk is just as important as the other,” Toney said. “The funds that are raised by our Heart Walk teams are also a very important part of our fund-raising efforts as are our individual fund-raisers.

Toney said the public is encouraged to begin now to organize teams for the annual Heart Walk fund-raising campaign.

“Although we will really start working to organize teams in October, we do have the team packets ready now for those who have already gotten their teams together,” she said. “Of course, we’ll have a t-shirt sale and our annual bake sale the week of the Walk. This year, we plan to have a bake sale in Brundidge around Christmas. Another new fund-raiser will held at the Pike County Fair in October.”

The Pike County Heart Walk Board has received a donation of a membership to the Troy Recreation Center and the winning raffle ticket will be drawn at the Pike County

Fair on Saturday night Oct. 9.

For more information about Pike County Heart Walk sponsorships, teams and events or to make a donation, contact Annette Toney at 566-7270.