Heart Ball will honor local survivors

Staff report

Staff report

GIRARD

The American Heart Association will host its annual Heart Ball at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Metroplex Expo Center, 1620 Motor Inn Drive, Liberty.

Jim Loboy, meteorologist for WYTV’s Daybreak, will emcee.

The black-tie event, themed “The Red Party,” will honor 83-year-old Dolores Iannucci, 1956 Miss New Jersey who also is a heart attack and stroke survivor.

The event also will feature a special Open Your Heart appeal, sharing the story of 3-year-old Gabriella Davies, who was born with a rare congenital heart defect.

The Heart Ball is the American Heart Association’s premier social event to celebrate survivors and the lifesaving achievements of local physicians, philanthropists and volunteers committed to helping the association fulfill its national goal to improve cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent and to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20 percent by 2020.

This year’s ball is being sponsored by Thompson Private Client Services, Mercy Health and WYTV. Andrew D. Thompson, partner and vice president of Thompson Insurance Group, is serving as chairman of this year’s ball.

The fundraising goal is $285,000.

For sponsorship information or to secure tickets and tables, contact Kelly Sobotka at 330-318-4467, email her at kelly.sobotka@heart.org or visit youngstownheartball.heart.org.