Haitoff Named 2013 Putnam Heart Walk Chairman
For over a decade, Barry Haitoff of Brewster has been actively supporting the American Heart Association and its annual Heart Walk in Putnam.
For 2013 he has been named the Heart Walk chairman, a role he has successfully held twice before.
“The American Heart Association is an extremely worth-while cause because heart disease and stroke and the number 1 and 4 killer of all Americans,” said Haitoff. “Therefore I cannot think of a more worthwhile association to donate time, effort and fundraising abilities to than the heart association. There might be other organizations that deserve it just as much, but I cannot think of another organization that deserves it any more than the heart association.”
Haitoff, who owns Medical Management Corporation of America, a medical billing outsource company, participated in his first walk as a favor to a friend.
“In the beginning I did not know much about it, but I felt like it was a good cause,” said Haitoff. “Then over the years I have learned quite a bit about heart disease. It made sense to me. My father died of a heart disease at the young age of 57. So the issue resonated with me.”
Creating awareness about heart disease became a passion for Haitoff, especially after he had his own brush with the disease.
“About nine years ago I was very overweight and I went to the doctor,” Haitoff recalled. “The doctor put me on cholesterol medication and I went into my car in cried. I thought, ‘Oh my god I am not going to live to see my kids grow.’ From that moment one I got real serious about exercising and eating healthy. I dropped about 80 pounds and I have kept the weight off ever since.”
Jennifer Gelick, American Heart Association regional director for Westchester and Putnam counties, admits that Haitoff is a great chairman because he is not a mere cheerleader; he walks the walk.
“He is a dedicated business owner and board member who has changed his life by adopting a healthy heart lifestyle,” she said. “He is an advocate for living by heart healthy habits and he leads by example.”
Haitoff, who has been a board member on the American Heart Association’s regional board for the past five years, makes the annual walk not only a team building activity for his company but for his family as well.
“My company has a walk team every year,” said Haitoff. “My kids come out, my mother comes out. She is 80 now and she almost always walks with us.”
In addition his company also participates in Wear Red Day on Feb.1 to bring more attention to the cause.
In 2012, over 800 people participated in the Putnam Heart Walk and together raised over $161,000 to fight heart disease and stroke. This year the goal is to raise $177,000.
“The money that we raise really goes toward saving lives in Putnam County,” said Haitoff. “So if anyone is going to devote time, effort or fundraising in Putnam County they should consider doing it with the heart association.”
To encourage others, Haitoff is challenging other business owners and board members to a contest to see what company can raise the most money for the walk.
“Barry came up with this idea,” said Gelick and it is great to see different companies get competitive for such a great cause.”
The Putnam Heart Walk will be held on Sunday, April 28 at Brewster High School.
For more information please contact Jennifer Gelick via phone at 914-640-3274 or via email at jennifer.gelick@heart.org.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.