Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 4 killers in America. The employees at McCarthy Building Companiesare trying to change these overwhelming statistics by leading the charge in the fight against cardiovascular disease. As the top fundraiser for the American Heart Association’s (AHA) 2013 Orange County Heart Walk, approximately 140 employees from McCarthy’s Southern California Division raised a total of $74,710 for the walk. Joel Nasers, senior preconstruction director for McCarthy, personally raised $31,700 in donations and is the event’s top individual fundraiser.
McCarthy is one of the largest commercial construction companies in the U.S. and is a strong supporter of AHA efforts in Orange County and nationwide. Since 2004, the firm’s Southern California Division in Newport Beach has been actively involved in the AHA Orange County Heart Walk, lending volunteer support and raising more than $626,000 for the cause. Michael Bolen, McCarthy Building Companies CEO is Chairman of the Board of Directors, Orange County Division AHA and is also the Co-Chairman, OC Heart Walk 2012-2013.
“McCarthy’s passion for the Heart Association starts with the unique and impactful work they do,” says Michael Bolen. “They not only help fund cures and treatment for heart disease and stroke, but they also focus on disease prevention and lifestyle improvement, which plays a big part in saving lives. Their approach fits well with the McCarthy culture, and the Heart Walk itself is a great opportunity for us to impact the community, our industry and the people in our own company.”
A record total of $1.6 million was raised at this year’s Orange County Heart Walk on February 3, 2013. Approximately 3,000 people participated in the annual 5k which was held for the first time at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. Now in its 32nd year, the Orange County Heart Walk is an annual event that brings the community together to help achieve the AHA’s 2020 impact goal of improving the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20 percent.
“Despite the AHA’s positive track record in funding cardiovascular research, each year hundreds of deserving projects go unfunded because there is not enough money,” says Melissa Wilimas, Executive Director of the Orange County Division of the American Heart Association “We are greatly in need of companies like McCarthy who are supporting us through volunteer efforts and fundraising. Every dollar raised at the Heart Walk means another dollar toward research, another discovery down the line and another life saved.”
