Nashville’s recent Heart Walk, held on the Vanderbilt campus, raised a record $1.3 million for heart disease and stroke research and education.
Photo by Dana Johnson
Vanderbilt team propels Heart Walk to new record
Fred DeWeese
The final tally is in, and Nashville's American Heart Association Heart Walk 2005, held in October on the Vanderbilt campus, raised a record $1.3 million.
The annual event put Team Vanderbilt as the No. 3 fund-raising entity in the nation.
The team also boasts the No. 1 walker in the country —Fred DeWeese, vice president of Facilities Planning and Development — and Nashville's Heart Walk is now the 10th largest in the country.
“The outstanding support of Vanderbilt, and particularly the leadership of David Posch, afforded continued growth of the Heart Walk,” said Brandi Broome, senior regional director of the American Heart Association. “The passion and commitment of Fred DeWeese and his team have resulted in much deserved national recognition for both Fred and Vanderbilt.”
The Heart Walk has been held on the Vanderbilt campus for five years. More than 7,000 walkers participated in the October walk.
More than 500 cities nationwide hold walks to raise money to help fund heart disease and stroke research and education.
Team Vanderbilt's fund-raising goal was $300,000 — it reached $305,000.
DeWeese, vice president, Planning and Development, brought in $170,000, an individual record for the event, which previously sat at $115,000.
“He really knocked it out of the park,” said Broome.
DeWeese applauded the many construction industry associates working with Vanderbilt who donated money for the Heart Walk.
“It takes a team to accomplish these kinds of goals,” he said. “It wasn't me at all. It was because of the willingness of our vendors, construction companies, architects, all of our partners to participate.
“I think they all have a connection to what is going on at Vanderbilt. These are the people who build the buildings that house research labs and patient rooms. These are the people who provide the materials for construction and the people who design it all. They have an indirect connection to all of this too.”
Last year Vanderbilt received $4.5 million for research from the American Heart Association.