UTICA: Survivors of heart disease, team captains, sponsors and past top
walkers at America’s Greatest Heart Run &Walk gathered on March 23, at Mastrovito Hyundai
to kick off the event.
“We’re proud to announce that America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk will take place on
Saturday, June 17, at Accelerate Sports at 5241 Judd Road in Whitesboro,” said Frank
Mastrovito of Mastrovito Hyundai, corporate chair of America’s Greatest Heart Run &Walk
in 2023, and host of the kickoff. “Accelerate is generously hosting us without cost, and we had a successful event there last year, when we returned in person.”
Mastrovito also announced other details of the event:
Buses will transport participants to Accelerate Sports
Registration for the 5K run will begin at 8 a.m. on June 17
The 5K run will begin at 8:30 a.m. on June 17
Opening ceremonies for the 3-mile walk will take place at 9 a.m.
The Healthy for Good Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to noon at Accelerate Sports, with
health screenings provided by MVHS
The Heart Telethon will take place on WKTV on Friday, June 16, from noon to 8 p.m., and
from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 17.
The WIBX Heart Radiothon and Treadmill Challenge will take place on Friday, June 16,
from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
There will be a pre-registration on June 14, time and location to be announced, and June
16, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Accelerate Sports
Rochelle Luo, a sophomore at PrattMWP, designed three logos for this year’s Heart Run & Walk. They were put out to a public vote, and the design that will be on pins and T-shirts was unveiled at the kickoff.
“My professor, Leah Macdonald, graciously reached out to me about designing the 2023 logo for America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk,” Luo said. “It was the perfect opportunity for me to learn about logo creation. I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to gain experience and insight from a professional, and I learned immensely from the process. The American Heart Association’s purpose resonated with me and I was determined to create a logo that would hopefully embody that spirit.”
“Heart and brain health are very serious topics in our area,” Mastrovito said. “Everyone
knows someone who has been affected by heart disease or stroke, and I’m happy to lead
the charge on this year’s Heart Run & Walk. We have a lot of support, and I know this
community event will improve the health of our friends and neighbors far into the future.”
“America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk is a time-honored Utica tradition, and it’s great to be kicking off our 2023 event,” said Mike McGraw, Senior Advisor at Strategic Financial
Services, board member of the American Heart Association, and chair of the Expo and
Course Committee for America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk. “This event provides an amazing opportunity for our community to come together to rally around the American Heart Association
and the work we do in the Mohawk Valley. I’m excited to be involved again this year and can’t wait for another successful weekend.”
To register for the event, go to UticaHeartRunWalk.org. For information, email
heartofutica@heart.org, marianne.hagadorn@heart.org or renee.hartnett@heart.org.
Additional Resources:
UticaHeartRunWalk.org
About America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk
The 2023 America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk will take place on Saturday, June 17, at Accelerate Sports,
5241 Judd Road in Whitesboro. Frank Mastrovito of Mastrovito Hyundai is the corporate chair. Registration
for the 5K run will begin at 8 a.m. and the run will take place at 8:30 a.m. Opening ceremonies for the Walk
will take place at 9 a.m. Birnie Bus will transport participants from designated parking lots to Accelerate
Sports. The Healthy for Good Expo will also take place at Accelerate from 9 a.m. to noon at Accelerate
Sports, with health screenings provided by MVHS. The Heart Telethon will take place on Friday, June 16,
from noon to 8 p.m., and on Saturday, June 17, from 8 a.m. to noon. The WIBX Heart Radiothon and the
Treadmill Challenge will take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, June 16, at Accelerate Sports. Sponsors
include Mastrovito Hyundai; NYCM; Bassett Healthcare Network; Mohawk Valley Health System; Scalzo,
Zogby & Wittig; Slocum-Dickson Medical Group; Adirondack Bank; Preferred Mutual; NYSCOPBA; Utica
First; WKTV; WIBX; The Daily Sentinel: and New York Sash. For information and to form a team, visit
UticaHeartRunWalk.org or contact Marianne.Hagadorn@heart.org or Renee.Hartnett@heart.org.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us
on Facebook and Twitter.
