Heart of Volusia has been keeping hearts healthy in Volusia and Flagler counties for more than 60 years.
According to nonprofit’s website, the organization was founded in the1950s with funds from a donation left by a heart attack victim. It has since been promoting healthy hearts through research, education, and community service in the field of heart health.
“When it comes to a nonprofit agency with a clear message, Heart of Volusia can reflect proudly on its history of more than 60 years promoting healthy hearts in Volusia and Flagler counties,” according to the group’s website.
Heart attack victim willed funds that started Heart of Volusia
An online history of the organization’s origin recounts that Heart of Volusia was originally known as the Heart Association of Volusia County, and started by Martin Sandler.
According to the website, Sandler was a businessman in the pharmaceutical industry in the 1950s, who moved to Daytona Beach after retiring. When a friend of Sandler’s died of a heart attack, he willed money for charitable causes, and the businessman used the funds to start Heart of Volusia, which was incorporated in 1957.
For more than 60 years, the nonprofit has kept its mission to promote and engage in education, research and community service in the causes, prevention and treatment of heart disease and other heart-related conditions. Its efforts and funds benefit only the residents of Volusia and Flagler counties, the nonprofit’s website states.
Heart of Volusia provides tuition grants to Volusia and Flagler high school juniors who qualify to attend the Student Science Training Program at the University of Florida. It also gives area hospitals grants, and cash scholarship awards to top graduating nurses planning a career in cardio or critical care, the website says.
Visit the website, heartofvolusia.com, to donate to the organization.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Heart of Volusia: Keeping hearts healthy for more than 60 years
Reporting by Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
