The City of Columbia held its annual Go Red Columbia Community Photo Op to raise awareness for women affected by heart disease on February 3, 2023, National Wear Red Day. Approximately 100 people attended the ceremony.
The event began with a press conference with remarks from Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, Crystal Kirkland, the Executive Director of the American Heart Association, City Manager Teresa Wilson, and Lilly Allen, Assistant Outreach Coordinator for FoodShare Columbia, an alternative housing network housed at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. During the press conference, Mayor Daniel Rickenmann presented Crystal Kirkland with an American Heart Awareness Month Proclamation. To close out the press conference, the community came together to take a photo in support of all women affected by heart disease.
The event included several activities for attendees to enjoy. Fresh Food Boxes from FoodShare were provided complements of the Mayor and City Council members to citizens who participated in the heart health awareness initiative. There were two places for participants to pose and take photos with a selfie station and props. Three one-month gym memberships were provided by Drew Wellness Center to those who entered a drawing. Additionally, the Public Relations, Media and Marketing department distributed pedometers in order to help citizens track their steps while walking and exercising, and water bottles in order to stay hydrated and healthy.
Check out the full photo album from the event here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAqSfY
