Gracie Has a Heart

Last year at this time my story with . The editor, wrote an article about a fundraiser I was participating in. I was chosen to tell my story to help raise money and awareness for the American Heart and Stroke Association’s  “Have a Heart, Save a Heart” fundraiser through Stater Bros. supermarkets. Customers were asked to buy a heart for a $1-$5 donation at check-out to benefit the AHA/ASA. It was a great experience.

This year I was asked by the American Heart and Stroke Association to be a part of the Knott’s Berry Farm’s “Twogether is Better” campaign for February.  The “Knott’s Has a Heart” campaign is similar to the Stater Bros. campaign. At Knott’s Berry Farm you buy a heart that is actually a valentine for Charlie Brown when you enter the park and also at many  places throughout the park.  People who buy a valentine then deposit it into a special mailbox outside Camp Snoopy to be given to Charlie Brown. It is so cute! They are also going to have a special stage show in February called “Love is in the Air, Charlie Brown.”

I went to Knott’s Berry Farm recently to talk about what happened to me to some of the guest service people who would be selling the hearts. I was even invited to bring my family and friends with me so my and my best friend and her sister Catherine got to join us to help be part of it.   

When we got there we were met by Jennifer Blazey who works at Knott’s Berry Farm and who is organizing this whole thing. She took us in to Camp Snoopy where there was a photographer with an assistant and two camera men with a big video set up. 

I was then asked to pose with Charlie Brown and Snoopy in front of the mailbox, putting a valentine in it. They even filmed me doing that so they could tell all of their associates about the campaign. Oh my gosh! It was so cool. 

The funny thing was the people who were visiting the park who were taking pictures of the people taking pictures of me. I heard them say, “Who’s that girl?” and “She’s Lucky.” Little did they know that I wouldn’t exactly always call myself “lucky.”

The camera crew then followed us around filming us on rides and walking through the park. It was like being in a commercial.Then I sat down on a bench in the back of the park and did a short video about what happened to me.  I ended it with “Knott’s Berry Farm has a heart, see you at the farm!”  

 We had such a fun day.They even treated us to dinner afterward at their famous chicken dinner restaurant. Yum!

I am so proud to be a part of this fundraiser. Everyone has been affected by heart disease or stroke in some way.  Every dollar raised goes toward the American Heart and Stroke Association’s research and awareness for heart disease and stroke. 

February is a great month to go to Knott’s Berry Farm, and if you are there, please buy a valentine for Charlie Brown. There are many American Heart and Stroke Association fundraisers in the month of February, please buy some hearts if you can.

I know that everyone knows someone affected by heart disease or stroke.  Even if you don’t, you now know me.