A national cause hits home for a Clifton Park Center shop owner, and for others it is a matter of routine.
Roger Allan, the owner of Fun Works, a family fun center at Clifton Park Center, decided to donate $5 to the American Heart Association for every red stuffed animal sold during the month of February.
Allan said he decided to provide the donation because his family has a history of heart disease.
The cause is near and dear to my heart, he said.
He explained that his father had an aortic valve replaced, and that his grandfather was killed due to the lack of technology when he was afflicted with heart disease.
Allan also said it is a big deal for women. He continued that so many people could be saved with new technology.
Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, according to the American Heart Association.
`It’s just an awesome thing that these merchants have volunteered to do this for us,` said Meredith Cohn, director of corporate events at the American Heart Association.
Fun Works is just one of several businesses going `Red For Women` in Clifton Park Center for the month of February.
`Malls are for women,` said Jeff Townsend, who coordinates marketing and events for Clifton Park Center. `We decided to jump in with both feet to support them.`
Other stores like CR Wireless, and Toyota of Clifton Park are also providing donations to the Go Red for Women movement, organized by the American Heart Association.
For every red phone sold at CR Wireless this month the store, and their nine other locations, will donate $10 toward the campaign.
`It’s a way merchants can do something for their customers,` Townsend said.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 12, Fun Works had sold six red animals, a donation of $30.
For stores like Karalina’s and Bella Maternity, it is not uncommon to donate to charities.
`We’re doing the ‘Go Red’ stuff whether the mall does it or not,` said Terry Irish of Karalina’s. `We try to constantly do things.`
Karalina’s will donate $5 to the Go Red for Women movement for every $50 Brighton bracelet they sell through Feb. 29.
Brighton designs a new bracelet every year for the Go Red for Women movement. This year’s bracelet features eight silver links, seven of which have hearts in the middle. The eighth link has the American Heart Association’s `Red Dress,’ which symbolizes the commitment to raising awareness about heart disease in women. The bracelet is inscribed with the phrase, `The biggest thing in the world, bigger than the ocean and the sky, is your heart.`
`We try to support a lot of things that deal with women, children and pets,` said Irish.
Colleen Pausley, owner of Bella Maternity, will donate a percentage of her sales for the month of February to the Go Red for Women movement. She said since opening in September, she has supported several different charities through her business, including the American Cancer Society and the March of Dimes, March for Babies campaign.
The American Heart Association is embarking on its fifth year of the Go Red for Women movement, which aims to change the perception that heart disease only affects men.
`We’re really trying to raise awareness,` said Cohn. `It [heart disease] impacts so many people.`
The American Heart Association is a national health agency, which promotes healthy lifestyles, free of cardiovascular disease.
Each year the American Heart Association kicks off American Heart Month with a national Wear Red Day to raise awareness of heart disease in women. Several businesses at Clifton Park Center participated in the Wear Red Day on Friday, Feb. 1.
In 1963, Congress declared February American Heart Month, every year since the American Heart Association has worked with the government to sign the annual proclamation. “