Big plans have been made to make the 2011 Pike County Heart Walk an educational, entertaining and fun fundraiser.

Elizabeth Mitchell, a Heart Walk board member, said the annual event will get underway at 5 p.m. at Cattleman Park on Thursday and everyone is invited to join the fun.

“The Heart Walk will last about two hours and we’ve got a lot packed into that time frame,” she said.

The main event is, of course, the Heart Walk and the course will be laid out in hearts inside the Cattleman building so walking will be made easy.

The Survivors Walk will get things underway and then the caregivers will be invited to walk and then all of those who are dedicated to reducing the number of deaths by heart disease and stroke will join the walk.

Mitchell said entertainment will be presented by the SheBANG! Championship Cloggers and there will be a kids’ corner with jump rope, hoola hoops and other activities that provide “hearty” fun.

Members of the Troy University football team will be in attendance and will be available for autographs and photographs.

All Heart Walk participants will be invited to a pancake breakfast with turkey bacon on the side.

“We had the pancake breakfast last year and it was a great success,” Mitchell said.

Several heart-healthy displays will have educational information about heart-related issues. Gayle Bush, Ph.D. with Troy University will be available to answer questions and provide additional information. “We will have a special presentation to the family of a longtime Pike County Heart board member that we lost this year,” said Karen Herring, board member. “That will be meaningful time for all of us on the Heart board. “We encourage everyone to come out Thursday night and support the fundraising efforts for the American Heart Association.”