SHSU Collects Most Money For AHA For Third Year

University president James F. Gaertner recently recognized SHSU staff members for collecting the most money during last year's American Heart Association Heart Walk. The university has won the award for three years.

The Sam Houston State University community has been walking its way to curing heart disease. Many university employees have been making American Heart Association’s Heart Walk charitable event a staple in their lives for several years.

Staff members, who participated in last year’s walk, recently gathered in front of Austin Hall where university president James F. Gaertner recognized the group for collecting the most donations for the third consecutive year.

The heart walk is a countywide event that enlists members of the community and their families to fight the battle of heart disease by walking to raise money for research.

Participants can either walk individually or join teams.

Participants can choose between a two-mile walk or a four-mile walk and donors that raise $50 get a free T-shirt.

Although the event has teams from the university and companies, like TDCJ, the event is open to everyone and team members can bring their families or even their pets to walk for the American Heart Association.

“The heart walk has something for everyone,” said Norma Buxkemper, administrative assistant to the coordinator of academic scholarships. “We have something for all ages, whether it be face-painting, dancing, clowns, or door prizes. We want people to look forward to the event.”

Being a survivor of heart disease, Buxkemper has a special place in her heard for the event. Buxkemper, whose mother and grandmother passed away at ages 48 and 49 respectively, feels it’s important to collect money for heart research.

“We have heart disease survivors, who have benefited from the research the American Heart Association helps with, at the event,” said Buxkemper. “The survivors don red hats as they walk at the event to distinguish themselves among other people.”

Buxkemper, who has three children of her own and five grandchildren, suffers from arhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, which is a rare and dominant hereditary heart disease for which there is no cure.

Buxkemper brings her whole family to the event and spreads awareness to people of all ages. Creating awareness at a fun event will help young people make the heart walk a yearly tradition, she said.

“I’d rather my children not have to go through the same symptoms I had to go through and this event helps create that awareness and gives back with research dollars,” she said. “I want people to go out and have a good time and bring their whole family because if people are having a good time they’ll come back.”

Several people on staff at the university make it a point to give back to the community and help those who have suffered different hear diseases.

Debbie Birdwell, assistant to the vice president for finance and operations of the university, insists having the heart disease survivors walking at the event helps give determination and is truly “inspirational” to the other walkers.

“It warms your heart to see the red-hats at the event,” Birdwell said. “Having them at the event lets us know that our efforts are getting somewhere and we are making improvements.”

The details for this year’s event have not yet been released, but it is tentatively scheduled for early in the fall semester.

Buxkemper said walkers can count on several other staff members of SHSU to be at the event to help raise research dollars and awareness for the American Heart Association.

“The more I can do to raise awareness I’ll do it,” said Buxkemper. “I want people to know what happens when you get a stroke or heart disease and I want them to know there is help out there.”

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SHSU Media Contact: Eric Barton
February 27, 2004
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