To the Editor:

More than 22,000 people in New Jersey die each year from heart disease and stroke. But we have the power to dramatically reduce that number. Each of us can do that through more exercise and a better diet, and by supporting the work of the American Heart Association.

I’m asking members of the community to join me and NRG Energy in supporting the American Heart Association’s 2016 Central New Jersey Heart Walk, which will be held at Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton on Friday, September 30. This will be the first nighttime Heart Walk and the first to be held at Arm & Hammer Park. Heart Walks are held throughout the country to raise awareness for the Association’s important work to educate the public on ways they can reduce their own risk of heart disease and stroke, and to raise funds that will support groundbreaking research.

Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 killers of Americans. The American Heart Association is committed to helping individuals and businesses foster a culture of health, and to providing science-based treatment guidelines to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public.

For more information on the September 30, 2016 Heart Walk at Arm & Hammer Park, please visit www.CentralNJHeartWalk.org.

David R. Hill

Chair, Central N.J. Heart Walk