Tulsa World: Heart Ball gala will take aim at child obesity

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Heart Ball gala will take aim at child obesity

By DANNA SUE WALKER World Staff Writer
Published: 9/8/2009 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 9/8/2009 7:40 AM

The American Heart Association's 39th Annual Heart Ball will work to make kids healthier.

More than 150 guests joined the American Heart Association at the St. Francis Health System's Natalie Building and pledged their commitment to fighting heart disease as they kicked off activities for the Tulsa Heart Ball, which will be Feb. 6 at Central Park Hall Expo Square.

Heart Ball committee members, along with the young people who are honored as Sweethearts and Mavericks, will focus on local initiatives that address one of the nation's leading public health threats — childhood obesity.

The goal will be to help empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices.

The American Heart Association, along with its partners, will work to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child's health: homes, schools, restaurants, doctor's offices and communities.

The first event scheduled for this initiative will be the Healthy Fun Fair at Martin Regional Library on Saturday. This educational and fun event is free and open to the general public.

Heart Ball co-chairmen are Dr. Michael Spain, chairman of Cardiology of Tulsa at St. Francis Heart Hospital and his wife Cindy. Sweetheart chairwomen are Allison Eve, Mary Fox and Shari Williams, Maverick chairwomen are Jamie Boudreaux and Mary Kay DeSelms, and Auction chairwomen are Lisa Cameron and Martha Dickman.

St. Francis Health System is the presenting sponsor. Other sponsors include Williams, Dr. Michael and Cindy Spain, Oklahoma Heart Institute, CFR, Sagenet, and U.S. Beef Corp.

Over the past 39 years, the Tulsa Heart Ball has raised more than $9 million for research and community outreach programs such as CPR training, stroke screenings and heart and stroke prevention conferences.

The American Heart Association is funding six cardiovascular research projects worth more than $750,000 in Oklahoma.

For more information about the Tulsa Heart Ball, events leading up to the Heart Ball or becoming a 2010 Sweetheart or Maverick, call Carrie Koewing at (918) 712-4003 or visit tulsaworld.com/heartball .

By DANNA SUE WALKER World Staff Writer

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Arbythree, Tulsa (9/8/2009 11:24:09 AM)

This is a great cause and a nice event.

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