Walkers raise cash for heart research
BUTLER TWP — The Butler, Marshall, Warrendale Heart Walk 2010-11 serves as a goal for some and a fresh start for others.
The event at the Butler County Community College campus on Saturday challenged walkers to walk three miles, sponsored by friends, family and co-workers, to raise money for the American Heart Association, which sponsored the event.
Valerie Bauer of Eau Claire, a USIS employee, estimated it would take her about an hour to finish the course.
"A lot of people I know had family that had heart disease," she said.
"I really believe this is a good cause."
In the past, Bauer said she has participated in similar events for organizations like the March of Dimes.
Barb Roth, division director of Butler and Beaver counties for American Heart Association, said Bauer was one of about 550 walkers to participate.
"Our goal this year is to raise $100,000," she said.
"If we reach that goal, Joe Taylor (vice president of Armstrong), chairman of this year's walk, is going to walk to work in a red dress. I want to see that, I really truly do."
The biggest year for the seven-year-old event was 2008, when walkers raised $84,000.
Martina Felix of Eau Claire, a Butler Health System employee, signed up for the Heart Walk after not having done such an event since her teens.
"I just thought it would be good exercise, and it's for a good cause," she said.
"People look for a good cause to donate to."
Oberg Industries, Verizon Wireless, and USIS all were recipients this year of Fit Friendly awards."All three of them have been fit-friendly for the past three years," Roth said."We present fit-friendly awards to companies that go above and beyond to promote a healthy lifestyle."Roth said Westinghouse Electric Company was a first-time recipient of the award in 2010, as well.Veronica Trojanovich of Butler, an employee at Penn United Technologies, earned her own reward when she looked at the scale Saturday morning."Two years ago, I was 369 pounds," she said."There was a guy I worked with who was overweight, too, and we decided to lose weight together."Trojanovich changed her eating habits and now exercises up to two hours a day, and has dropped more than 140 pounds since she made the decision to live healthier.She participated in the walk last year for the first time and, this year, convinced 15 family members and friends to come along.Butler Eagle General Manager Ron Vodenichar will be the chairman for the event in 2011-12.
