Intellectually, Service EMU Director Gretchen Ward knows
getting involved in the American Heart Association's Start!
Heart Walk makes sense as a service to the community and
as an example for Eastern Michigan University students.
Those reasons matter to Ward, one of EMU's campus chairs
for the May 9 event at Washtenaw Community College. But,
she has another reason that matters more.
Ward's father, George Schonfeld, died of a heart attack
at 54. Schonfeld was 14 when a stroke killed his own father.
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EMU SHOWS ITS HEART: Nearly 80 EMU
staff,
students and alumni will
represent 13 teams that
will raise
money during the American Heart
Association's Start! Heart Walk at
Washtenaw Community
College May 9.
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"I'm doing it in honor of them and in memory of them,
and also for my son, who was born about a year ago," said
Ward, one of EMU's co-chairs for the May 9 event at Washtenaw
Community College. "Because of the research this supports,
ultimately, I hope my son will have more time to spend
with his parents and grandparents."
Eastern Michigan fielded several teams in last year's
Start! Heart Walk and even had the leading fundraiser in
the county in Jeanne Thomas, a social work professor. But,
this year, the University jumped in with both feet. Director
of Diversity Kay Woodiel and Bernice Lindke, vice
president for student affairs and enrollment management,
are co-chairing the entire Washtenaw County event.
"I was surprised we weren't already involved in it," Woodiel
said "We're so committed to community engagement and involvement.
It's just a very worthy cause. It's the number one cause
of death and disability for all age groups. It's really
hard to find anyone today who hasn't been affected by (heart
disease and stroke)."
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular
disease claims more lives than the next four most common
causes of death combined. On average, one American dies
of heart disease or stroke every 35 seconds. In 2005-2006,
the AHA invested more than $543 million in research, education
and advocacy. Over the years, the association has funded
research that led to major advances like CPR, bypass surgery,
artificial heart valves, clot-busting drugs and high blood
pressure medication. The Start! program works from the
prevention end, emphasizing walking as part of a healthy
lifestyle.
"I really think it's important for students to have an
awareness of their overall health and well-being starting
at a young age, and for them to realize they can do things
right now that will have a long-term effect," Ward said.
Thus far, EMU has 13 teams (nearly 80 persons) registered,
including teams with names like "Hearts and Sciences,""We
Heart Alumni" and "Our
Team is Better than Your Team." Faculty, staff, students
and alumni are welcome to participate. Participants don't
have to fundraise in order to walk or, for that matter,
walk in order to fundraise. Though EMU has a $21,000 goal
for the event, the goal and intent are really as much about
raising awareness as it is about raising money.
To get involved, go to www.miheartwalk.kintera.org,
choose "Participant Registration" from under the Start!
Now menu, and choose "Eastern Michigan University" from
the drop-down menu of companies and organizations. Registration
takes place right up until the walk starts.
The 1.5-mile course loops around the WCC campus. People
are encouraged to bring their families and their dogs,
and to walk the course twice if they want. This year's
event also includes a 3-mile fun run. The grounds open
at 9 a.m. and the walk starts at 10:15 a.m., with a health-fair
atmosphere that encourages people to make a leisurely morning
of it.
"We want to have a good showing of Eastern people," said
Woodiel. "It's a fun day. They have a ton of things set
up and it's really geared toward education."
