Kicking off February as American Heart Month, the 14th annual Sweetheart Ball presents: Hearts on Broadway.
The event, hosted by the Blair County Division of the American Heart Association, is scheduled for February 5 at the Casino at Lakemont Park beginning with a silent auction at 6 p.m. in the Soho Room along with a reception featuring complimentary hors d’ oeuvres, champagne and strawberries, courtesy of several Blair County attorneys.
Dinner includes a choice of petite tenderloin/chicken duet, herb roasted salmon or a vegetarian dish followed by dessert. Following dinner, a live auction will take place. Auction items include a Pittsburgh Steeler jersey signed by Ben Rothleisberger.
Charlotte Ames of WTAJ TV 10 serves as the event’s emcee.
A special segment of the Sweetheart Ball will be dedicated to honoring local men and women who are survivors of heart disease and stroke.
Music for dancing from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. will be provided by Titanium Hip, a variety ensemble from Pittsburgh, and the Medpark Division of the Alpha Management Corporation will provide valet parking.
Nikki Passarello, Sweetheart Ball committee chairwoman, has announced that the major sponsors for the 2005 event are Sheetz Inc., First Energy Foundation, and Pfizer, Inc.
Tickets are $100 per person, and reservations may be made by calling the Blair County Division office at 949-3160.
Last year’s Sweetheart Ball raised $53,000. Proceeds from the ball and other American Heart Association fundraisers are used for heart disease and stroke research and education.
On a local level, the Association’s Blair County Division offers a variety of services that include a speaker’s bureau and educational programs and materials addressing all aspects of cardiovascular disease for schools, businesses and organizations.
Also highlighting American Heart Month 2005 is National Wear Red Day for Women, scheduled for Friday, February 4. Because heart disease is this nation’s number one killer of women, The American Heart Association urges everyone to wear red clothing on that day to show support for women who have been affected by heart disease and stroke.
Corporations across America help to spread important messages about women and heart health and raise vital funds by encouraging their employees to pay $5 to wear jeans and red to work on National Wear Red Day – or the day of their choice.
The Blair County Division will be working with area companies, schools, churches and other organizations that want to participate in Wear Red Day for Women. The wear red initiative is part of the Go Red for Women Program in which the American Heart Association outlines a plan to help women take steps to make heart disease and stroke prevention a part of their daily lives.
“Every year since 1963, the United States Congress mandates that the president designate February as American Heart Month to encourage all Americans to learn about the risk factors, signs and symptoms of these diseases and what can be done to prevent them,” said Anthea L. Germano, communications committee chairwoman for the Blair County Division.
The American Heart Association is the largest non-governmental supporter for heart disease and stroke research and is the authority on cardiovascular disease information.
For more information about American Heart Month activities and Wear Red Day for Women, call the Blair County Division office at 949-3160 or visit the American Heart Association’s web site at www.americanheart.org.
