It was a day of fun and laughter at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom as the members of the Church of God in Philadelphia volunteered to serve 1,500 walkers at the American Heart Association’s annual Heart Walk held on September 18, 2016.

The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s premier event, and together with the Church of God, it became a very positive and memorable day. The day started with some rain and overcast but that didn’t stop the walkers or the Church of God members from participating enthusiastically and supporting the cause. The purpose of the walk is to raise awareness and funds for heart research, which the Church of God chose to support in celebration of receiving the Queens Award for Volunteer Service.

Members scattered throughout the park to cheer, encourage, and bring smiles to the faces of all the walkers who participated. Chairman John Simon had much to say about the event, and even more to say about the Church of God members that volunteered, stating, “I’ve been involved in six heart walks. Every year something touches me as a human being. You guys made the difference this year, your enthusiasm, your spirit, there’s just not enough of this in the world.”

From the initial registration throughout the entire park, the Church of God volunteers spread their energy, elevating the mood of everyone who passed by—many of whom were survivors of heart failure or stroke.

Volunteers also offered their help in the kid’s zone, where children of all ages lined up to get their faces painted and shoot some hoops. The event concluded with a group picture of the Church of God along side the leaders and staff that worked together to ensure that the event was a success.

“I’m not kidding, you guys made the difference in the walk this year.” John repeated, as he continued to express how great it was working with the Church of God this year, and looking forward to another opportunity for the American Heart Association to work together with the Church of God again in the future.