American Heart Association earns money in hopes to defeat heart disease
The American Heart Association (AHA) has a goal to earn money to help defeat heart disease and stroke in children and adults nationwide. One of its charity events is happening closer to home this upcoming weekend, and will see participation from Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) students.
The AHA is hosting its Annual Coastal Bend Heart Walk on Saturday, Oct. 2 at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi. Check in for participants begins at 8 a.m. and the start time is scheduled for 8:30 a.m.
The TAMUK Kinesiology Club will be participating in the walk as well as being a sponsor for the event this October. It’s a free, family-friendly 5K that has a variety of activities including survivor celebrations, live entertainment, photo areas, giveaways and more. As Javelinas, if you want to participate for the university, when signing up at www.CoastalBendHeartWalk.org reference TAMUK’s team name Javelina Strong.
“By participating in community service events, I believe the benefit we will receive as a club includes connecting with our community, raising social awareness, improving our skills, and establishing contacts and friendships,” (TAMUK) Kinesiology Club President Reagan Morreale said.
Participating in the walk is a bit of a tradition for the Kinesiology Club.
“TAMUK Kinesiology Club decided to participate in this event five years ago to show support for me and my family. I have a daughter who was born with heart defects and has had multiple open-heart surgeries, but she is a survivor because of the research and innovative surgical discoveries that the American Heart Association sponsors. We now walk/run in honor of all heart survivors and walk/run in memory of those we have lost every fall semester,” TAMUK Kinesiology Club Advisor Judith Bloomquist said.
The AHA was founded in 1924 by six cardiologists and has grown to become the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide and stroke ranks second globally. The mission of the AHA is to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.
“The main goal I believe that will be accomplished is to show the club that cardiovascular disease is a real problem in America and to go out and to walk or run for about an hour will make a difference. In by doing so, influence their friends and family to be more active and live a healthy lifestyle and together we can lower cardiovascular disease,” TAMUK Kinesiology Club Vice-President Manuel Hinojosa said.
For more information on the walk or to register go to www.CoastalBendHeartWalk.org. If you have any issues signing up, please email the heart walk staff at CoastalBendHeartWalk@heart.org or contact Brittany Sandbach, heart walk director, at
361-443-4610.
