Heart Walks raise money to fight illness

More than 8,000 pairs of feet will hit the pavement in Collier and Lee counties this fall to take steps toward fighting heart disease and stroke, the nation’s number one and number three killers. People of all ages are encouraged to lace up their shoes and participate in the Southwest Florida American Heart Association’s Start! Heart Walks. Last year, the local walks raised $555,000 for cardiovascular disease research, education and prevention initiatives.

This year the 17th annual Collier County Start! Heart Walk, which is locally sponsored by an anonymous donor in memory of Kyle Fernstrom, Arthrex and Physicians Regional Healthcare System, will take place Saturday, Nov. 6, at Cambier Park. For details, contact Teresa McInnis at 287- 4981 or teresa.mcinnis@heart.org.

The 2010 Lee County Start! Heart Walk, sponsored by Lee Memorial Health System, will take place Dec. 11 at Centennial Park in Fort Myers. For details, contact Leslie Amick at 273-9223 or leslie.amick@heart.org.

At both events, participants have the option of walking or running a 3.1- or 1-mile route.

The AHA Start! initiative is sponsored nationally by Subway Restaurants. For more information, including custom walking plans, visit www.startwalkingnow.org. 