Women’s Wellness

For American Heart Month, declare that Wednesdays will be Wellness Wednesdays. Each of these days, conduct a short lesson on nutrition, then lead attendees on a 15-minute walk (indoors if necessary). The first Wednesday, distribute “Taking Steps For A Healthy Heart” Heart-Shaped Pedometers so women can track their walking. On the other Wednesdays, hand out items from the Deluxe Awareness Assortment.

Drawing Them In

Boost attendance to your heart-health booth or event by offering a useful and attention-getting giveaway. Fill Heart-Shaped Balloons with helium. Tie a string to each balloon. Then tie each balloon to a “Love Life...Don’t Miss A Beat!” Contour Grip Translucent Water Bottle. Fill the bottles with filtered water before giving out. The bottles will make it easy for people to keep a healthy beverage handy and hopefully will cut down on the amount of disposable plastic bottles ending up in the landfill.

Growing Knowledge

Begin February with a quiz on heart health. Gauge what people know without being allowed to look up the answers on the Internet. Use “Live Smart...Love Your Heart” Lapel Pins to reward everyone who participates. Award an Embroidered Microfleece Blanket to the person with the highest score, but don’t reveal the correct answers to your group. Post heart-health information on bulletin boards around your building. At the end of February, give the quiz again to see if your displays were effective.

Vital Numbers

One of the risk factors for heart disease is high blood pressure. Since this condition often shows no warning signs or symptoms, help the women at your facility know where they stand by organizing a clinic. Along with testing, offer tips on controlling blood pressure. Whenever someone receives a blood pressure reading, hand her a “Know Your Numbers” Journal to record the results in. Also give her a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of the gifts in the Women’s Heart-Health Awareness Event Raffle Kit.

Lunchtime Learning

Hold a midday seminar about how bringing food from home can be a great way to eat with heart health in mind. Request that people RSVP for the event so you can plan lunch. Have your dining services or volunteers make one of the recipes from the Heart-Healthy Brown Bag Lunches Pocket Pal. Put Pocket Pals at each place setting. Serve the food in “Love Life...Don’t Miss A Beat!” Deluxe Lunch Bags, a reusable alternative to brown bags. As guests enjoy their meal, discuss nutritious items that can be easily transported.

Many Avenues

In this day and age, numerous ways of broadcasting an awareness message exist. Write an article about National Woman’s Heart Day for your monthly newsletter. Then place baskets of “Make Every Beat Count” Butter Mints throughout the facility. Post heart-health information on your organization’s Web site. Also send out e-mails. In the e-mails, give the recipients a place to go to pick up a special gift. Have “Love Your Heart” Bookmarks waiting for them at the location. If a church group is your audience, use the Sunday bulletin as yet another form of communication.