Knights from across the University of Central Florida will join others from the community and beyond in a walk to end heart disease.
Thirty-two UCF teams will participate in this year’s Greater Orlando Heart Walk, sponsored by the American Heart Association. Activities will begin at 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at Loch Haven Park, 900 E. Princeton St., Orlando. The walk will begin at 7:30 a.m.
So far, UCF teams have raised more than $33,000 to support heart health. UCF typically ranks among the top universities in the country in Heart Walk fundraising.
“The Heart Walk is a family-friendly event that encourages people to take steps toward a heart-healthy lifestyle while raising funds to fight heart disease and stroke,” said UCF Provost and Executive Vice President Tony G. Waldrop. “With your help, we can raise money to aid researchers in combating heart disease.”
Nearly 16,000 people are registered to walk along two routes, a mile walk and a 3.1 mile walk. People of all ages can walk. Donations so far for the Orlando area total more than $1 million, and the event has set a fundraising goal of $1.2 million.
About 450 walks are held around the nation each year with more than 1 million participants. Funds raised help with research on detecting and treating heart disease and with getting life-saving information to those who need it most.
There’s still time to register for the walk and to make a donation. To get involved, join or donate to one of the UCF teams by visiting the “Get Started Now” tab on the Heart Walk website.
To learn more about the Heart Walk, watch a video [1] about UCF”s involvement in the 2009 event.