Bayfront Health's 1st Annual Ride Your Heart Out Poker-Run Pulls Big Result for American Heart Association
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL (March 6, 2014) – Bayfront Health revved engines for their first annual Ride Your Heart Out Poker-Run to benefit the American Heart Association February 22. Over 50 riders came out and participated, raising over $2300 for the Association.
It was a Bayfront Health group effort to put on a successful ride.
As Charlotte County’s American Heart Association My Heart.My Life cause partner, Bayfront Health hosted activities and events throughout the month of February to educate on how to improve and maintain heart health, with the poker-run being one of many. In total, Bayfront Health has raised over $19,000 in donations to the American Heart Association year to date.
Bayfront Health would like to thank the ride’s route sponors: Tilly’s Tap, The Open Road Bar and Grill, Nav-a-Gator Bar and Grill, Florida Advanced Cardiothoracic (FACT) Surgery – South and Black Widow Harley Davidson. They also send a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Gonzalo Carrizo, cardiothoracic surgeon with FACT Surgery – South, and the mastermind behind this event.
“When Dr. Carrizo said he wanted to do a bike ride to benefit the American Heart Association, we thought ‘what a great idea; a bicycle ride is a perfect way to celebrate the cause.’ But honestly, when we found out he was actually talking about a motorcycle ride, we thought ‘even better.’ It was such an exciting way to bring together staff and members of the community to ride out for a heart-worthy cause,” said Marti VanVeen, system director marketing and business development.
| Ricky H. Satcher, market CEO and Gonzalo Carrizo, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon with FACT Surgery-South. |
Bayfront Health’s 1st Annual Ride Your Heart Out Poker-Run raises over $2300 for the American Heart Association. |
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Donny Long, Environment Services supervisor at Bayfront Punta Gorda, shows off his Poker Run ride. |
Paul Popper, MD, cardiologist, shows his support riding for the American Heart Association. |
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Riders heading to their next stop along the route. |
About Bayfront Health Port Charlotte
Bayfront Health Port Charlotte (formerly Peace River Regional Medical Center) is a 254-bed Joint Commission Accredited full service hospital that is more than a provider of medical excellence; it is where people come to be cared for and cared about. With expert physicians and staff in cardiovascular services, orthopedics and spine, emergency care, and women’s services and through strategic partnerships with All Children’s Specialists-Johns Hopkins Medicine, Florida Advanced Cardiothoracic (FACT) Surgery, and now Bayfront Health, we are united to bring state-of-the-art care to Florida's Gulf communities. To learn more, visit: www.BayfrontPortCharlotte.com.
About Bayfront Health Punta Gorda
Located in Punta Gorda, Bayfront Health Punta Gorda (formerly Charlotte Regional Medical Center) is a full-service hospital dedicated to abiding by the mission of: Caring professionals dedicated to serving our community. Founded in 1947, 208-bed Bayfront Health Punta Gorda is Joint Commission Accredited and an award-winning hospital, with stroke services, orthopedics and respiratory programs earning national distinction. At Bayfront Health, we are united to bring state-of-the-art care to Florida's Gulf communities. To learn more, visit: www.BayfrontPuntaGorda.com.
Bayfront Health, a newly created healthcare network of seven hospitals along Florida’s Gulf Coast, is committed to caring for more than 66,000 inpatients, 202,000 ER visits, nearly 57,000 surgeries and more than 500,000 outpatient visits each year. Additional benefits of the network include transfer agreements in the areas of trauma, pediatrics, stroke, cardiac, OB, NICU and mental health services, to name a few; residency and other educational and training opportunities for medical staff; and the establishment of specialty service line centers in the areas of epilepsy and robotic surgery.
