Contact: Debra Thompson
Assoc. Director, PR & Communications
540-564-5886

Daryl Watkins, right, presents a check for $500 to Maria Hostetter, RMH Heart Health Navigator. The donation, a portion of the proceeds from the New Market Firecracker 5-Miler, will help RMH provide free heart health screenings to patients of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic.

The RMH Heart Check program has received a $500 donation from the 14th annual “Firecracker Five-Miler” Race in New Market to provide free heart health screenings to patients of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Free Clinic.

Race director Daryl Watkins got the idea to use part of this year’s race proceeds to benefit RMH Heart Check after his wife, Carol Watkins, went through the RMH Heart Check for Women program. “I thought partnering with RMH Heart Check would be a good opportunity for the race to help raise awareness of heart health,” he said. “I think the Heart Check program is great and we will continue to donate every year that I am race director. I hope the race continues to grow and that our donation will grow as well.”

Watkins, a math and science teacher in Broadway, has served as race director for five years. This year’s race, sponsored by the town of New Market, had 135 participants.

“We are honored by Mr. Watkins’ vision to use part of the race proceeds annually to benefit the health of the community,” said Maria Hostetter, RMH Heart Health Navigator. “We are grateful for this partnership in helping provide heart health screenings to those who need them most.”

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