Women’s Heart Health to Be Celebrated at Girls’ Night Out

Girls’ Night Out, the annual fundraiser for the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) Heart and Vascular Institute, will feature inspiring stories celebrating heart patients and their healthcare providers. The event promises a fun night of dinner, dancing, and a patient fashion show.

Award-winning news reporter and anchor Tara Rosenblum will emcee the event on Thursday, February 27, at 5:30 p.m. at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel in Tarrytown. The event will also honor WMCHealth Foundation Board Member and former longtime WMCHealth Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Kara Bennorth.

February is American Heart Month, and Girls’ Night Out aims to raise awareness about the importance of heart health, particularly for women whose symptoms may differ from those experienced by men. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, causing 1 in 3 deaths, or approximately one every minute, according to the American Heart Association.

The evening will include a fashion show with clothing courtesy of designer Beverley Olivacce, a shopping boutique, a beauty suite, accessories wall, raffles, dinner, and dancing. Attendees are encouraged to wear red attire.

This year’s honoree, Kara Bennorth, has nearly 40 years of experience in public affairs, marketing, communications and development in both healthcare and the public sector. Bennorth started her career at Westchester Medical Center in 1995 and progressed to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of WMCHealth.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the WMCHealth Heart and Vascular Institute, which offers a wide range of cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, and vascular surgery services, including heart failure and heart transplantation, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and many more, to Hudson Valley residents. To learn more about sponsorships for the event or to buy tickets or donate, visit WMCHealthGiving.org. Tickets can be purchased here.

Local Runner Goes the Extra Mile to Raise $6K for Margaretville Hospital

For Annie Pevear, running has been a lifelong passion since her mother first encouraged her to lace up her sneakers at age 10. This fall, she transformed that passion into purpose, raising nearly $6,000 for WMCHealth’s Margaretville Hospital while training for and completing the 2024 New York City Marathon.

The fundraising journey began at Margaretville Hospital’s annual art auction in May, where Pevear learned about the opportunity to support the hospital through marathon fundraising. As a longtime runner and community member who has witnessed firsthand the vital role of the rural hospital, she eagerly volunteered for the challenge.

“I think it’s an essential thing to have in a rural area,” Pevear said, noting that the hospital is just 15 minutes from the Farm School in Roxbury, an educational farm where she works. “I’ve had to bring students to the ER when something happens, and they always get such good treatment there.”

Her fundraising efforts combined grassroots outreach with community events, including hosting a successful fundraiser at a local cidery. The campaign quickly gained momentum as community members, hospital board members and even strangers contributed to the cause, which will support the hospital’s current initiative to build a helipad.

A Boston native who moved to the Catskills nine years ago, Pevear approached the marathon with dedication, following a rigorous two-month training schedule that included running up to 60 miles per week. The marathon itself proved to be an unforgettable experience, particularly the final stretch through Harlem and into Central Park, where she was cheered on by students and families from her school.

“I love to run, so it felt good to run for a cause,” she reflected. “Some people who donated see me running on the roads all the time, so it felt like they could cheer me on for the marathon too. It was wonderful to turn my daily runs into something that benefits our whole community.”

The successful campaign highlighted the community’s commitment to maintaining quality local healthcare. “The community will really come together when people need things,” Pevear said. “Everybody can rally around the hospital because it’s so essential to everybody’s health and safety here.”