AROUND TOWN: Happy Birthday, Go Red for Women

It wasn’t a scarlet letter day, instead one with a scarlet number as Go Red for Woman Luncheon and Education Day turned 10 on Sept. 14.

Ladies in red, 375 of them — with a few hearty male souls and several firefighters sprinkled in — heeded the call to “Fill Your Heart with What’s Important,” as they learned about how to improve their own health by making the right heart choices, including diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking.

During the day, which included a heart-healthy lunch, they donated $130,000 to the American Heart Association.

he keynote luncheon speaker was statuesque Mara Purl, whose “heart novels for women” say to “fill your heart with what’s important.” She asked the Go Red women, “Where are you on your own to-do list?”

It always makes Purl shake her head, she shared, when women stop and stare at her and instead of saying “you’re that writer,” they say breathlessly, “you’re that nurse.” She’s not a real nurse, she told the audience, “I just played one on TV” (the soap opera “One Life to Live”).

At 2 p.m. the fun started: the first “Red Dress Dash” after-party with hula hoops, three-legged races, zumba, a putting green and wild and crazy motions as women followed a dance exercise program on the screen.

Oh, and martinis, too.

Sharing the success of the day were co-chairs Susan Davis from Wells Fargo Private Bank and Paula Pollet from Ent Federal Credit Union.`

Their subcommittee chairs and event attendees included Julie Armstrong, Kathy Curry, Dr. Kimberly Dulaney, Paulette Greenberg (who received the association’s top volunteer accolade earlier this year), Stephanie Hammer, Dr. Nita Harris, Lisa Kazee, Sue Minero, Beth Pritts, Doris Ralston and Renita Wolf.

Leslie McGinn is director of Go Red and the Heart Ball. American Heart Association Executive Director is Dot Teso.

See more from this year’s Go Red for Women here at coloradosprings.com under PHOTOS.