Students from 14 elementary schools will participate in Jump Rope for Heart from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15 in the M.O. Looney Complex Arena at Missouri Western State University.

The event scheduled Monday was postponed because of school closings in St Joseph.

Jump Rope for Heart is a community service project to fight heart disease and stroke, our nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, respectively. Students will jump rope to raise funds for the American Heart Association, which funds cardiovascular disease research and public and professional education programs. Funding from events such as Jump Rope for Heart has led to many lifesaving discoveries.

Students will also learn about building a heart-healthy lifestyle.

The average heart beats 100,000 times each day. One of the best ways to take care of your heart is to make exercise a regular part of your everyday life. Jump Rope for Heart teaches students how exercise benefits the heart and shows students that volunteering can be fun and beneficial to the whole community.

For more information about the local Jump for Heart event, contact Dr. Randall Bergman, assistant professor of health, physical education and recreation, at 816-271-4474, or [email protected].