Do you have your Heart Walk team ready? Two months from now, the Rutherford Heart Walk and Fun Run will take place at Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital on Saturday, September 14, 2013. Team registration is open, and teams are encouraged to sign up and set their fundraising goals at  www.rutherfordheartwalk.org. There is no registration fee.

The annual event is a major fundraiser for the American Heart Association, and funds go to vital research, public health programs and community education about the no. 1 killer of Americans, cardiovascular disease. This year’s fundraising goal is $100,000.

Heart disease is the number one killer in America. So if you are a heart disease, stroke or anurism survivor or wish to honor someone, now is the time to organize your walk team.

The non-competitive Fun Run is being added to the event for the first time this year, and will start a few minutes prior to the morning Walk start time. After the Walk, a festival will take place, featuring interactive games, music, displays and activities for the whole family.

David Hoke, president of The Hoke Company, is chair of the event and Heart Walk honoree is Sandra Miller, General Manager of the DoubleTree Hotel in Murfreesboro.

The Heart Walk is part of the American Heart Association’s My Heart. My Life. platform, encouraging Americans to get physically active and eat a healthy diet as steps toward a heart-healthy lifestyle and improved health of the community. Heart disease and stroke take the lives of 1 in 3 Americans, including 17,000 Tennesseans per year. But up to 80% of cardiovascular disease is preventable through healthy living choices we make every day.

The Heart Walk is nationally sponsored by Subway Restaurants and Jenny Craig.

The Rutherford County My Heart. My Life. cause sponsor is Saint Thomas Heart at Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital.