VALDOSTA — Participants in the American Heart Association’s “Start! Heart Walk” gathered in McKey Park Thursday for an evening of fun, capped by a 5K walk around the park to promote heart healthy habits and behavior. The annual event raises funds to fight heart disease and stroke, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, said Josh Reinholt, AHA regional director.

Last year, over 1 million walkers raised more than $106 million in 425 Start! Heart Walks across the country, according to the AHA. Reinholt said participation this year was good and he expects the final tally will show a significant amount of money raised.

“We had a lot of good volunteers. I don’t have a number on how much money was raised yet but it’s a considerable amount,” he said.

Reinholt said he wants people to know that fund-raising efforts will continue and that there are still opportunities for those who want to donate to do that. He said their fundraising campaign is a grassroots effort, with 80 percent of all donations coming from private contributions and through the efforts of volunteers. Only 20 percent comes from corporate sponsors, he said.

To those who didn’t know it was a fund-raiser, the event might have seemed more like a fall rock concert in the park. Red, white and blue balloons lent their ebullience to the festivities. Before the 5K walk began, the crowd enjoyed the music of Jackrabbit Slim. Kids danced, bounced in bounce houses and had their faces painted. The sun was setting, the evening was cool, the air refreshing.

“What we’re trying to do is find more creative ways to keep people active and make it more convenient for them,” Reinholt said. “If it’s not convenient, they won’t do it.”

Reinholt said participants in last year’s Heart Walk walked around the park instead of the middle school track because the track was being resurfaced, and they decided they liked it better, so the practice was

Three tent villages with red, white and blue information stations were set up to celebrate survivorship, foster hope by bringing together people with similar experiences, to pay tribute to loved ones, inspire participants to make changes in their daily behavior that reduce the risk for heart disease and stroke, and to highlight the successful fund-raising efforts of individuals and companies.

Each day, nearly 2,400 Americans die from a cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association. That’s an average of one death every 37 seconds. A leading risk factor for heart attack and stroke is lack of physical activity.

“People should know that it’s never too late to start down a healthier path,” said Lorie Strange, marketing and communications director for the Greater Southeast Affiliate, American Heart/Stroke Association, in a press release.

For more information, call the American heart Association at (850)878-3885 or visit walk.americanheart.org.