American Heart Association’s 14th Annual Heart Ball

Anybill recently co-sponsored the American Heart Association’s 14th annual Greater Washington Region’s Heart Ball. The event raised more than $1 million to support  research, public education, and CPR training in the Washington, DC area.

Anybill’s “Doing Good is Good for Business” culture found a perfect partner in the Greater Washington Heart Ball.  The Heart Association spends more in our region than it raises due to the high volume of medical research taking place here. Our support helps the Association continue its life-saving work, reaching out to at-risk populations to create a healthier community.

The Ball has a special place in my heart (I was the 2012 vice chair) because it takes on cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death for American men and women — and an enduring menace in my family.

A reporter from The Washington Post (read the article here) attended the Ball. When she asked about my thoughts on heart disease, I replied with three numbers: 67, 57 and 1.  These figures, I explained, correspond to ages:  67 is the age of the oldest any make has lived in my family, 57 is age at which my grandfather died from the disease, and one is the age of my niece when she was first threatened by a serious heart related issue.

I left the event with a great feeling of satisfaction. Not only had we had a great time (the food and music were outstanding), but we raised a significant amount of money for an important cause and raised public awareness of a critical health issue. I’m excited about next year’s Heart Ball  (I’ve already signed on as the 2013 event chair), confident we can attract more guests, raise more funds
and support more research.

If I’ve sparked an interest in taking better care of your heart, or supporting the work of the American Heart Association, I encourage you to visit the AHA website and DONATE!!

With Heartfelt Thanks,

Matt