Paint the Town Red Gets in the Black

The third Paint the Town Red, a fund-raiser benefiting the American Heart Association on Jan. 23, is on track to being the event’s biggest year, already having collected $9,000 of its $30,000 goal. r

Elizabeth Moore, development specialist for Northwest Arkansas’ AHA office, said the first Paint the Town Red in June 2001 collected a net total of $7,516 and the January 2003 event netted $17,243. There was no event in 2002.r

Lannie Cox, AHA’s statewide communications director, said that cardiovascular disease is the No.1 killer of Arkansans, claiming about 11,000 people each year. CVD includes both heart disease and stroke. r

Nationally, a person dies of cardiovascular disease every 33 seconds.r

The AHA funded $492,223 in cardiovascular research in Arkansas during 2002-2003, including 11 programs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and various departments at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. r

The 2004 Paint the Town Red is presented by American Mortgage Associates who have kicked in $7,500. Lance Weatherton, a project manager at Miller Boskus Lack Architecture, is chairing the event.r

This year’s event will be held at the Fayetteville Town Center.