Day Kimball Healthcare Hosts Fundraiser for Healthy Hearts - October 1, 2011

PUTNAM, CT – Day Kimball Healthcare announces the fourth annual Heart of Rock & Roll event on Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at Allen Hill Tree Farm in Brooklyn, CT. The event’s major sponsor this year is Gerardi Insurance Services and features The Great Garage Band Reunion playing tunes from the 60’s and 70’s.

The Heart of Rock & Roll event includes a full dinner, prize drawings and the chance to dance the night away. Guests may bring their own alcoholic beverages. Tickets are $25 per person and are available by contacting the Day Kimball Healthcare Development office at (860) 928-7141 or the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Department at (860) 963-6315.

Event proceeds will benefit Day Kimball Healthcare’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Department with the purchase of a new multi-station weight training machine used in maintaining muscle strength and tone for the Plainfield Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation site located on Dow Road. In the elderly, this may help to reduce the incidence of falls and improve their sense of wellbeing. The younger and middle aged population may benefit from building muscle mass which increases metabolism and improves overall health by reducing body fat. This is important in reducing the risk for further cardiac events.

Carol Artiaco, RN, clinical coordinator of Day Kimball’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Department said, “Our two locations in Putnam and Plainfield serve between 80-90 people. The equipment gets a lot of use and the patients are very appreciative of the new equipment that we have been able to purchase from the proceeds of this annual fundraiser.”

The event offers a dessert competition where everyone is invited to bring their favorite homemade dessert to be sampled by a panel of distinguished judges. The winning dessert will be awarded bragging rights and prizes.

In 2002, The Great Garage Band Reunion came together with four musicians who performed in the original Great Garage Band that formed back in 1963. The band was on hiatus since 1966. As a self-proclaimed horn band with six lead vocalists and many new members and friends, the Band boasts of an enthusiastic and energetic spirit with a love for entertaining large crowds.

Jim Milliard and Tory Averna are two of the original band members and were part of the cardiopulmonary rehab ‘family’ at Day Kimball in 2007 when both suffered heart attacks within five weeks of each other. For 12 weeks, Day Kimball’s Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center became a large part of their recovery.