The Top of Ohio Mended Hearts chapter celebrated its 30th anniversary at a meeting on February 27th. President Bruce Norris shared that the chapter received a plaque for its 30 years with Mended Hearts International. They also received a letter from the international president, thanking the chapter for 30 years of helping heart patients in Logan County.
The chapter’s mission is to provide support, education, and advocacy to heart patients and their families. Their motto is, “It’s great to be alive and to help others.”
The chapter began in October 1994 when Dr. Vincent Petno and John F. Sowers spoke to a group of 74 people at Mary Rutan Hospital about starting a local Mended Hearts chapter. Other local leaders, like Mandy Goble and Lois Coons, helped organize the chapter. By December 1994, the group elected their first officers: Gene Wolford as president, Janice Wilburn as vice president, John Sowers as secretary, and Crystal Ropp as treasurer. The group officially became Mended Hearts Chapter #069 on February 16, 1995.
The Top of Ohio Mended Hearts chapter meets on the third Thursday of every month (except for July, August, and November) at the Mary Rutan Health Center in Bellefontaine. Meetings are open to the public. Each month, a guest speaker from the cardiovascular field discusses heart health topics, treatments, diet, exercise, and more. These meetings help provide important information for heart patients and their families.
