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s e r v I n g tay l or , ol D f or g e , moosIc & surrounDIng areas trIborobanner.com | aprIl 27, 2017
This month’s ‘Devil Pride’ students were named |Page 3
First-graders will perform ‘Disney Favorites’ |Page 7
Kiel Eigen returned to his alma mater to speak to the students |Page 12
taking the field Annual Heart Walk relocates to PNC By Josh McAuliffe
special to the Triboro Banner The venue may have changed, but the mission of the American Heart Association’s annual Northeast PA Heart Walk remains as clear and focused as ever. After years with separate dates in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, the 2017 Heart Walk will take place at one time and place: Saturday, April 29, at PNC Field in Moosic. As always, the event will raise funds for the Heart Association, while also raising awareness in the ongoing fight against heart disease and stroke, the No. 1 and No. 5 biggest killers in the United States. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., with the walk stepping off at 10. To sign up for the walk, or to make a donation, visit heart.org/northeastpawalk or call 570815-4243. Participants are encouraged to bring their children and pets to the event, which includes a non-competitive 1-mile fitness walk, as well as a host of fun activities and prizes. Walkers who raise at least $100 will receive a Heart Walk T-shirt and the chance to win additional prizes based on their fundraising levels. Meanwhile, physicians, executives and staff from Commonwealth Health will continue their tradition of donating bicycles to the cause as a way to promote
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heart-healthy habits. Raffle tickets are free to all child Heart Walk participants. Sponsored nationally by Subway, the Heart Walk’s local sponsors include Cross Valley Federal Credit Union, Geisinger, Commonwealth Health System, MetLife, Highmark, Web.com and FNCB. Media partners include Times-Shamrock Communications, WNEP-TV, Magic 93 and The Times Leader. This year’s Heart Walk chair is Jill McGlynn, chief experience officer at Cross Valley Federal Credit Union. A 2008 graduate of King’s College, McGlynn has served in a number of volunteer capacities through the years, including as a board member for the Catholic Youth Center. McGlynn said she got involved with the Heart Walk through Cross Valley about five years ago. Since then, she’s developed a real passion for the event and the Heart Association’s mission. She said she was flattered when the event coordinators asked her to be this year’s chair. “It’s such an honor,” McGlynn said. “It’s such a thrill to be able to raise funds for the organization, but when we’re also raising awareness then we’re really doing our job.” As usual, the event also has a “child chair.” It’s 5-year-old North Scranton resident Matthew Mursch Jr. The son of Matthew and Lynn Mursch, Matthew was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a serious congenital heart defect. Matthew underwent his first openheart surgery at 7 days old, his second
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Walkers stroll during last year’s Heart Walk.
surgery at 3 months old and his third at 2-1/2 years old. All told, he’s had 12 cardiac catheterizations, three PICC lines placed, a gastric tube placed and many other procedures. Lynn Mursch, an Old Forge native, said her son is “super excited” about being the Heart Walk’s “No. 1 racer.” So far, their team has raised about $800 in donations for the cause. “We’ve been honored to be part of something that will spread awareness about heart defects. Anything that can spread awareness I’m 100 percent for,”
she said. “This will now become an annual tradition for us. It’s the least we can do.” If you go What: Northeast PA Heart Walk, benefiting the American Heart Association When: Saturday, April 29, with registration at 8:30 a.m. and the walk beginning at 10 Where: PNC Field, 235 Montage Mountain Road, Moosic Details: To sign up for the Heart Walk, or to make a donation, visit heart.org/ northeastpawalk or call 570-815-4243.