February 23, 2012
Every Hamilton community member knows someone with heart disease, which is the number one killer of Americans and is responsible for over 600,000 deaths annually. Once again this year, over 100 Hamilton students, faculty and staff will participate in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Heart Run and Walk to help decrease the prevalence of the disease. The event will be held at Utica College on Saturday, March 3, and involves a three- or five-mile walk or a three-, five-, 10- or 18-mile run.
The Heart Walk and Run provides the opportunity to raise money for the AHA, which uses the funds to sponsor research, to educate people and to sponsor community services with the goal of curing heart disease. Overall, the AHA hopes to reduce the incidences of heart disease by 20 percent by 2020. They’re already making progress toward this end; planning team member Professor Ernest Williams, who has been participating in the event for years, explained, “One very positive note is that mortality to heart disease is actually declining, showing the benefits of supporting the AHA.”
Last year, the 162 Hamilton team members raised over $6,000 dollars for the cause, and the team aims to raise over $7,500 this year. Participants must raise a minimum of $25, and those who want to support the cause but don’t want to or can’t run or walk can donate to the AHA as a sponsor for a participant. Williams explains that even these sponsors can get involved in the actual event: “Each year I’ve had those people who’ve sponsored me…sign the t-shirt I’ve worn during the run. That way, they’ve participated in the run with me. I have their signatures and comments on my shirts.”
The Heart Run and Walk is also a unique opportunity for building community and improving town gown relations. In addition to Hamilton community members, the walk draws over 8000 people each year and has consistently been the fourth largest Heart Run and Walk in the country out of about 750 similar events. As Professor John O’Neal, a member of the planning team, said, “When I’m out there in early March walking with thousands of neighbors from all across town, I feel at one with my community…An unmistakable feeling of common cause and hope arises in the midst of those assembled.”
The event also allows students and faculty to honor loved ones who have benefited from the AHA’s work. For example, team organizer Professor Colleen Pellman explains, “I walk in memory of my father whose life was lengthened by a pacemaker. Even babies and young children benefit from the work of the American Heart Association.” The nature of the event encourages participants to be more aware of their own risk of heart disease. Williams, for example, began running and participating after his father died of a heart attack: “His doctor told me to exercise or the same thing would happen to me, and that’s what started me running. So, for years now, I’ve run the Heart Run & Walk in his memory and given money and raised contributions to the AHA.”
Hamilton’s team is organized by Pellman, O’Neal, Williams, Professor Erin Glaser, Laura Gilson ’12 and Eva Root ’14. So far, attendees will include members of a wide range of sports teams and Greek organizations, including Women’s Rugby, Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Tennis, Alpha Delta Phi, Chi Psi, Kappa Sigma Alpha, Phi Beta Chi as well as Al Ham. If you’re interested in joining them, pre-registration will be held on Tuesday Feb. 28 in Beinecke from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for individuals and from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. for groups.HEART WALK