Valpo Goes Red Takes Place February 1

go-red-for-women-logoThe American Heart Association will kick off American Heart Month by hosting the annual Valpo Goes Red breakfast event on Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 8-10 a.m. at Valparaiso University’s Harre Union Ballroom.

The event is part of the Go Red For Women movement to raise awareness of heart disease, the nation’s No. 1 killer of women.

Maggie Wilderotter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Communications, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Valpo Goes Red event. Wilderotter was named among The Top 50 Women in World Business by the Financial Times and has been named one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business by Fortune in each of the last three years. She was presented with The Business Media Award by the Women’s Media Center and, on October 4, 2010, President Barack Obama announced Wilderotter’s appointment as Vice Chair of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.

Wilderotter’s keynote presentation will center on embracing work/life balance.

Dawn Collins, President of Century 21 Executive Realty and a leading advocate of wellness and community service in Northwest Indiana, is the chair of this year’s regional Go Red events.

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the number one killer of women in Northwest Indiana and the entire country,” said Collins. “The Go Red For Women movement is so critical in raising awareness and funds for lifesaving research and education programs in our communities, and I am so excited to work with such a dynamic group of women in making this year’s campaign a success.

The Valpo Goes Red event will provide impactful resources, heartfelt stories and a place for Northwest Indiana residents to connect with a common passion in making our region healthier and free of cardiovascular diseases.”

Valpo Goes Red will bring together leaders from a variety of industries across the region to support the fight against heart disease in women. Valpo Goes Red will showcase the spirit of the Go Red For Women movement in Northwest Indiana by providing critical heart health educational resources and touching stories from local residents who have faced the devastating impact of heart disease personally or on their loved ones.

The official Go Red For Women Porter County seat proclamation will also take place at Valpo Goes Red. A heart-healthy meal prepared from American Heart Association cookbooks will be provided.

Valpo Goes Red is the first of two Go Red events to launch this year’s American Heart Month in Northwest Indiana. Crown Point Goes Red takes place two days later on National Wear Red Day (Friday, Feb. 3) at Saints Peter and Paul Macedonian Hall in Crown Point from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

American Heart Month takes place every February to raise awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death among Americans, and to urge Americans to reduce their risks for cardiovascular diseases by engaging in healthy living.

Since 2004, Go Red For Women has raised awareness and critical funds for lifesaving research and educational programs in the fight against heart disease in women. Heart disease causes 1 in 3 deaths among American women each year.

Go Red For Women is nationally sponsored by Macy’s and Merck. Local sponsors of Go Red For Women in Northwest Indiana are Methodist Hospitals and Century 21 Executive Realty.

For more information and to purchase individual tickets, a table for 10 or corporate sponsorship packages, contact Diane Kemp at (219) 996-4958. More information is also available at heart.org/ValpoGoesRed.

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. 4 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.