Walkers Help Heart Association

The American Heart Association, the largest voluntary health organization fighting heart disease and stroke, held its 2009 Hartford Start! Heart Walk at Bushnell Park in Hartford. More than 3,000 supporters, survivors, volunteers and local companies were in attendance. Collectively, more than $300,000 was raised to fund research and education of heart disease and stroke, the No. 1 and No. 3 killers in the United States. Top fundraising teams included the state Department of Correction, UnitedHealthcare and Travelers, which surpassed its goal of $35,000 to raise more than $52,000. Pictured, from left, are: stroke survivor Marissa Arnold of Simsbury and 2009 Hartford Start! Heart Walk Chairman Jeff Verney, CEO of Retirement Solutions at UnitedHealthcare, with the American Heart Association’s mascot, Ticker, at the Start! Heart Walk kickoff ceremony.