The American Heart Association (AHA) will join the Cleveland County business and medical community for the 19th Annual Cleveland County Heart Ball on Saturday, March 18, 2017, at 6 p.m. at the LeGrand Center, 1800 East Marion Street.
Dr. Doug and Joyce Boyette, co-chairs of this year's ball, will host this Egyptian-themed night of elegance. The event will feature a cocktail reception, silent auction, seated dinner, program, live auction and dancing. The cost for the event is $150 per person.
"The Heart Ball in Cleveland County is a major fund-raising event that allows the American Heart Association to support cardiovascular research, advocacy and community outreach," says Lynn Grayson, director of marketing and communications for the American Heart Association - Charlotte. "Two programs that the ball helps support and that significantly impact the youth of Cleveland County are the 'Bring a ball to the Ball' initiative and the 'Kids Cook with Heart' program."
"Bring a ball to the Ball," sponsored by Carolinas Healthcare Systems-Cleveland, is a campaign to involve the community in getting children to be active and in encouraging heart-healthy lifestyles, Grayson says.
"Guests are asked to bring any type of sports ball to the Heart Ball, and the balls will later be distributed to the school system for physical education programs," Grayson says. Approximately 100 donated sports balls were collected from guests at the 2016 Cleveland County Heart Ball and presented to Graham Elementary and James Love Elementary Schools last spring.
"Kids Cook with Heart" is a class offered through the local Communities in Schools summer program for Shelby and Kings Mountain middle school students. Local chefs and dietitians come together to teach basic cooking skills to the students, who then compete in a "Final Challenge Cook-off," Grayson says.
In addition to these programs, the AHA also uses proceeds from the Heart Ball to fund cardiovascular research ­- more than any organization other than the federal government. With heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States, and strokes as the fifth leading cause of death, this research is vitally needed, Grayson says.
For more information about the 19th Annual Cleveland County Heart Ball visit http://clevelandcountyncheartball.heart.org, or call Corinne Green at 704-417-5751 to reserve seats.

By April Hoyle Shauf

Special to Shelby Shopper & Info