Lone Star College-University Park will host the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Northwest Harris County Healthy for Good ™ Heart Walk for the third year Saturday, Oct. 21.
More than 4,000 walkers are expected to participate in the noncompetitive, three-mile walk or run at the LSC-University Park campus.
“LSC-University Park is proud to continually support the AHA in its efforts to combat heart disease and stroke,” said LSC-University Park President Shah Ardalan. “Heart disease accounts for about one of every three deaths in the United States. The walk is our opportunity to raise community awareness and make a lasting difference for our faculty, staff and students.”
Organizers hope to raise $250,000 to support the fight against heart disease and stroke, our nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 leading causes of death. Dollars raised will support heart disease and stroke research, health care quality improvement, advocacy, prevention and education. Keith Barber, CEO of Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, is chairman of this year's walk.
With Ardalan as the chairman of the walk last year, the AHA raised a record-breaking $200,000. The college raised more than $11,000 toward that goal and claimed the third ranking for overall fundraising. Ardalan will lead LSC-University Park as it works to raise $10,000 for the effort. The college is running a fundraising competition between academic and division departments, encouraging each departmental team to raise $500, to help meet the goal.
“As a team captain representing the Student Resource Learning Center at LSC-University Park, I’m excited to work with my team to meet our fundraising goals,” said Stephanie De Leon, a program coordinator. “I always look forward to the walk. It’s a great community event that my colleagues and I are happy to support and have on campus.”
An opening ceremony is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. and the walk will begin at 9:30 a.m. at LSC-University Park’s Energy and Manufacturing Institute parking lot.
The Heart Walk also provides morning festivities for the whole family with heart-healthy treats, giveaways, heart-pumping activities, medical screenings and advice on heart health, as well as a Kid’s Zone.
For more information or to register for the AHA Northwest Harris County Heart Walk, visit www.nwhcheartwalk.org.