Z5 Save money on your insurance @ www.insurancehotline.tv/n THE LEADER / NIAGARA THIS WEEK THURSDAY, November 7, 2013 29

Focus on WainFleet

By Carolyn loConte

Janet Hodgkins has had three family mem-bers affected by cardiovascular disease. Her eldest sister suffered a shocking heart

attack at the age of 62. Her second sister underwent open heart surgery. Her father has endured two separate heart attacks.

Thankfully, the 63-year-old Wainfleet resident has been lucky enough not to have personally suffered from any heart problems. Nonetheless, when three family members have been directly affected from heart complica-tions that feeling of apprehension becomes no stranger and can take a heavy toll on the whole family.

For the past 12 years, Hodgkins has grown into a treasured volunteer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, being actively involved in the charity’s mission to prevent heart disease, save lives, and promote recovery. With a pas-sion for communal power burning strong, she has been instrumental in coordinating the door-to-door canvassing campaign for the Foundation in Wainfleet. Last year, Hodgkins and her team of 55 canvassers were definitely a mighty bunch raising $16,000. While well-deserved credit goes towards the canvassing team, we cannot forget that it was a collabora-tive effort, with the money raised made pos-sible only by the overwhelming response from the community.

“It is a large rural area to cover, but once you’ve started it’s gratifying because you are able to see how generous the people around you are,” she said of the support. “And on top of the canvassing experience, you get the chance to become better acquainted with your neighbours.”

This year, Hodgkins has decided to take her philanthropic efforts one step further as she partners with her husband, David Fowler, to host a ‘Baby Boomer’ themed Trivia Night at the Royal Canadian Legion in Fonthill this Saturday.

While this will be the first trivia night the couple is holding for Heart and Stroke, it is not the first one they have held for charity. In 2010, Hodgkins and Fowler put on the event to raise money for Haiti after the horrors that fol-lowed the catastrophic earthquake.

“If there is one thing that I do believe, it’s that when you help others you are making a lot of people happy, including yourself,” he said. “And on that note, why not have some fun while you’re doing it.”

What is most special to this trivia night is the theme. All of the questions will focus on the most popular music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Questions will be asked and clips of music will be played. The teams will be asked to identify the title of the music and the per-

former. Tables/teams of eight are available at $20

per participant. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion on 141 Regional Rd. Hwy. 20 East.

Hodgkins and her family are only a few of the thousands of Canadians affected and liv-ing with the traumas that have resulted from heart complications and disease.

About 70,000 people a year in Canada die of cardiovascular disease – including heart attacks, heart failure and stroke, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. There are an estimated 1.6 million Canadians living with heart related disease, including 315,000 living with after-effects of stroke.

Every seven minutes in Canada, some-one dies of heart disease or stroke. Through fundraising initiatives like the Baby Boomer Trivia Night, the Heart and Stroke foundation can continue to invest in supporting research, promoting advocacy and increasing public awareness.

To register, visit www.babyboomertrivia.ca or contact Susan Chouinard, Area Manager for the Heart and Stroke Foundation Niagara Region, at 905-938-8800.

For more information and updates informa-tion on cardiovascular disease, research, and healthy living, you can visit www.heartand-stroke.com .

Carolyn LoConte is the public relations chair for the Heart and Stroke Foundation - Niagara Region.

foundation remains close to the hearts of wainfleet couple

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Janet Hodgkins and David Fowler have been longtime supporters of the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and key organizers of the Wainfleet canvas. they’re continuing their support by orga-nizing a trivia night this Saturday in Fonthill.

submitted photo