The 33rd Annual Erie Heart Walk took place Thursday night at Liberty Park along the Bayfront, bringing together a community of "lifesavers" dedicated to supporting heart health. The event, organized by the American Heart Association, saw a strong turnout of participants and sponsors, all working together to raise funds for cardiac programs in the region.

A total of 850 walkers registered for the event, with 35 companies contributing through sponsorships or by forming teams to participate. Erie News Now proudly served as the media sponsor for the evening, with their own Eva Mastromatteo taking on the role of emcee for the event.

Thanks to the generosity of the community, the Heart Walk successfully raised $150,000. These funds will go directly toward supporting vital cardiac programs that benefit the local area.

Gina Klofft, Senior director, Erie & Central PA American heart Association, said, "The dollars will go to several different places, most importantly research, right we are always going to fund the research, the new treatments, technologies, medication therapies that are available today, much of that is due to our research. In addition to that, I really am proud of the community impact that we're doing around women's health, nation of lives savers -- which is CPR and AED awareness -- tobacco prevention, hypertension control, and healthy living which is mental well-being as well as nutrition security. So our investment, locally and nationally, is really important in the fight against heart disease, the number one killer in this country."

The event also included a special moment to honor two Heart Heroes, Tom Hayden and Brooklyn Morehouse, during the kickoff ceremony. Their recognition highlighted the personal stories and inspiration behind the cause.