Story and photos by Carol Montana
HARRIS, NY (February 27, 2011) – For 33 years, the annual Heart-a-thon has been raising money to save lives in Sullivan County. In it’s many incarnations, it’s been held at Kutsher’s Country Club and sponsored by WSUL Radio to raise some money for Harris Hospital, while the rest of the money went out of county.
Nowadays, the event is known as the WVOS/WSUL Heart-a-Thon and raises money for Catskill Regional Medical Center’s Cardio-Pulmonary Department, and is held in the hospital cafeteria. And this year’s grand total of $62,877 stays in Sullivan County – 100 percent.
WVOS/WSUL General Manager. Helena Manzione, says the one thing that hasn’t changed is “the community involvement, the people that step up to the plate year after year. They want to be part of it, they really put their heart and soul into the event. We’re just the vehicle.”
Manzione says that last year an amazing 95 percent of pledges was collected. And she further adds that everyone from civic leaders to politicians turn out to help. As she was speaking, two young men Connor and Joshua, shown here with Lord of the Trout Lou Monteleone, were in the back of the cafeteria singing Doo-Wop songs and raising $10 for the worthy cause.
Alan Kesten, owner of Yellow Cab and this year’s co-chair along with Howard Braunstein of M& M Auto Group, said that being co-chair involved a “little bit of time.” And then he admitted that he “calls every friend that I know on the face of the earth to make a pledge.”
CRMC’s Director of Public Relations, J.P. McGuirk says that, “CRMC really appreciates everything that WVOS/WSUL does to put this together. … A lot of people don’t know it’s a massive undertaking to put this on, there’s well over 100 volunteers, lots of people giving up their time to work on the Heart a Thon. And we are so grateful.”
The money will be used to purchase the software package for a CT Scanner, which not only can determine the severity of heart blockages, but it also directly visualizes the atherosclerotic plaque deposited in the vessel wall.
You can still contribute to the Heart-a-thon by sending a check or money order made payable to: WVOS/WSUL Heart-a-thon, Box 628, Monticello, NY 12701.
To see more photos or to purchase prints from the 33rd Annual Heart-a-thon, visit The Catskill Chronicle on Zenfolio.
The Catskill Chronicle 
CONGRATS! WELL DONE!!
I remember answering phones and ringing bells during the 80’s at Kutshers as a member of the WSUL staff. Glad the annual tradition is still going strong and raising more money every year.
Great job by WSUL and WVOS radio stations. The effort you all put in showed in the results. I was thrilled to be just a small part of it. Congratulations!