As usual, the Y in Arnold (Greater Annapolis) was packed with people and buzzing with activity this past Saturday. With the spring-like weather outside adding to the good vibe, we were proud to be hosting, for the first time, Anne Arundel County’s popular Heartbeat for Health. This annual event, sponsored by our newest Healthy Living partner, the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, is an opportunity to raise awareness of heart disease and the benefits of exercise, dance, movement and a healthy lifestyle to prevent one of the region’s (and country’s) leading causes of death. This longtime county heart health awareness tradition represents the first of many activities we will carry out with our newest Healthy Living partner designed to improve the health and well-being of the growing Anne Arundel community we jointly serve.

Over 500 participants took advantage of the free health screenings, including vascular screenings, foot screenings, oral cancer screenings, demonstrations of CPR, measurements of body mass index (BMI), blood pressure readings and educational heart health and cancer displays. The event also included loads of family fun activities like Gypsy Fusion Belly Dance and a long list of other fun opportunities to get up and moving. There’s nothing like a little salsa dancing and Zumba to get the heart pounding!

What a great day in Anne Arundel County and great way to leap into this exciting and important new partnership!

Many thanks go out to our wonderful partners at the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center and their Senior VP and COO, Kathleen McCollum, who was on hand to help kickoff the festivities.  I also appreciate Y association board member Tom Brandt and the chair of the Y’s Anne Arundel County community leadership board, Brain Meek, for showing up and participating.  Thanks also go to Y associates EJ Amyot, Ruth Heltne and Deborah Crites, along with so many others at both organizations who worked so hard to make this event such an important success for our hearts and minds!

All the best,

John

John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland