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The annual Pike County Heart Walk is set for Thursday, February 27 at the Troy Sportsplex on Enzor Road in Troy. The Heart Walk and related activities will be from 5 until 7 p.m. and everyone is invited to be a part of this event that benefits the American Heart Association.

“The Pike County Heart Board is looking forward to the annual Heart Walk which raises awareness of heart disease and stroke while raising funds to assist in the research into to the causes of heart disease, the treatment of the disease and its prevention,” said Tracey Davis, Pike County American Heart Association co-chair. “Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States and the annual Heart Walk is an opportunity for the people of Pike County to be involved in helping reduced the number of deaths caused by heart disease and stroke.”

The Annual Heart Walk Survivors Breakfast will be held on Saturday, February 22, and will be hosted by Park Memorial United Methodist Church.

“Park Memorial has hosted the breakfast for Pike County heart attack and stroke survivors and their caregivers for the past five years and we greatly appreciate the continuing support,” said Teresa Doty, co-chair. “The breakfast will feature a speaker who has battled and survived heart disease.”

The Heart Walk be an opportunity to honor survivors of heart disease and stroke and show appreciation to their caregivers by walking on the indoor track.

“Those who participate will be treated to a healthy meal and will also have a chance at taking home really nice door prizes,” Davis said. “Two of our sponsors are involved in the Heart Walk. Walmart donates the food and Horn Beverage donates the water. Employees from the Walmart DC in Brundidge will be on hand to prepare the food.”

Thanks were also expressed to Dan Smith, Troy Recreation Center director, and his team at the Sportsplex.

“Without the Pike County Heart Board members and the many volunteers who help us, we would not be able to have the survivors’ breakfast or the Heart Walk,” Doty said.

The co-chairs expressed appreciation to the Pike County Heart Walk sponsors.

“Year after year, they have donated to the Pike County Chapter of the American Heart Association,” Doty said. “The money that is raised is sent to the American Heart Association where it is used in the fight against heart disease and stroke.”

Davis said out of each $100 donated, only 7.1 percent is for administrative costs.

“More than 80 percent is used for research and education,” she said. “Charity Navigation, an independent watchdog on American charities reported those findings in its annual report dated June 1, 2019.”

The co-chairs said it’s still not too late to become a sponsor of the 2020 Pike County Heart Walk sponsor. Contributions can be mailed to Pike County Heart Walk c/o Tracey Davis, P.O. Box 967, Troy, Al 36081.