Kroger is doing its part to educate the community on heart health during the month of February.
The store will host its third annual Heart Health Walk at its Tiger Town location Saturday at 8 a.m.
"This year, there will be a chef from Kroger sampling heart-healthy meals," said Naomi Fears, Kroger's Inclusion Council chairwoman and event planner. "A pharmacist will be doing some type of screening and handing out coupons for discounted screenings. Someone will be here from Women's Hope Medical Clinic, and hopefully we'll have some handouts from the Opelika Police Department about women's safety."
Fears said the three-mile walk will start at Kroger and loop around the back of the shopping center, past Kohl's and Ashley Furniture.
Fears said if inclement weather occurs, walkers will stroll 10 laps inside the store.
Participants can register for the walk the day of the event or preregister with forms available at the Tiger Town Kroger's customer care.
Entry is $5 and proceeds go to the American Heart Association.
Fears said she came up with the idea to organize a walk three years ago.
"I was looking for a project for some of the employees to come together and participate in, and this was one of the things that came out of it," Fears said. "I thought it would be a worthwhile cause because we all need to do healthier things."
The walk has attracted small turnouts with around 20 people participating in past years, but Kroger has high hopes this time.
"We are a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and I was talking to one of the ladies there and she put the event in the newsletter," Fears said. "We have been getting all kind of calls, which is wonderful."
Julianna Young, junior in exercise science, plans to attend the walk in memory of her grandfathers.
"Both my grandpas died of heart complications, so anything having to do with the American Heart Association gets my attention," Young said. "This event will bring awareness to the community and will be a lot of fun too."
Fears said her goal as a member of the Inclusion Council is to ensure that Kroger employees are happy and giving back to the community.
"We try to engage the employees and make the workplace better," Fears said. "We solve problems and try to come together more as a family. We have been looking for some projects to get involved in, and this is one I have been building on. We are very excited about the outcome."
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