Porter County Heart Walk Takes Place This Saturday

aha_logoChesterton event to raise money in the fight against heart disease and stroke.

The American Heart Association’s 2011 Porter County Heart Walk takes place this Saturday, September 24 at 9 a.m. at the Coffee Creek Center in Chesterton.

The Porter County Heart Walk includes teams of heart disease and stroke survivors, employees from local companies and people interested in fighting heart disease and stroke. The event will feature one-, two-, and three-mile walking routes and will be kicked off with a non-competitive run

The Heart Walk will also have a free family-friendly health festival that includes games, screenings, health information and giveaways.

Heart Walks are nationally sponsored by Subway and presented locally in Northwest Indiana by ArcelorMittal and Methodist Hospitals.

The Heart Walk raises critical funds for the American Heart Association’s research, educational and awareness programs in Northwest Indiana and across the country in the fight against cardiovascular disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers.

This year’s chair of the Northwest Indiana Heart Walks is Mike Finissi, senior vice president and chief operating officer of NIPSCO.

The Porter County Heart Walk is the second of two Heart Walks in Northwest Indiana. The Lake County Heart Walk took place at the Lake Country Fairgrounds in Crown Point this past Saturday, with one of the highlights of the event featuring Finissi presenting the American Heart Association with a check from NIPSCO for $200,000.

NIPSCO is the region’s top Heart Walk company to date, becoming the first company in Northwest Indiana to reach the $200,000 mark in walker funds this year.

Over 1,000 Northwest Indiana residents are expected to take part in the two Heart Walks and raise over a half a million dollars for the American Heart Association.

About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Our mission is to build healthier lives by preventing, treating and defeating these diseases – America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. We fund cutting-edge research, conduct lifesaving public and professional educational programs, and advocate to protect public health. To learn more or join us in helping all Americans, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit heart.org.