Baldwin Heart Walk at OWA Raises More Than $165,000, Urges Residents to Learn CPR

FOLEY, Ala. — A large crowd turned out at OWA Parks & Resort on Saturday morning, Oct. 24, for the 2026 Baldwin Heart Walk, where the American Heart Association pressed a simple message: in a cardiac emergency, be a lifesaver, not a bystander.

Walkers heard from heart and stroke survivors before setting out, and CPR demonstrations and health resources were available on site. Organizers said the Baldwin County event had raised a little more than $165,000 so far this year, with donations still being accepted for about six more weeks.

An emcee with a personal connection

This year’s emcee, Lenise Ligon, told the crowd why the cause matters to her and why she wants to get people moving toward a healthier lifestyle.

“As many of you know I have had a long history with heart disease. I lost my grandmother at a very young age. Like many of you, heart disease had a very negative impact on me by taking someone that was very near and dear,” Ligon said.

Stories like hers are at the center of Heart Walk events. Survivors, families who have lost loved ones and health care workers often walk together in teams, and the event’s route offered both a 5K option and a shorter Survivor Mile, according to the American Heart Association’s event page. The event opened at 9 a.m., with the walk starting at 9:45 a.m.

Building a ‘Nation of Lifesavers’

This year’s focus was the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers campaign, which aims to prepare more people to act when someone’s heart stops.

Bridgett Dunn, vice president of development with the American Heart Association, said too many people freeze in an emergency because they do not know what to do.

“It’s important because we do live in a nation of bystanders who don’t know what to do in an emergency situation. So our goal at the American Heart Association is specifically through heart walk is to educate the community on ways that they can save more lives,” Dunn said.

The numbers behind that goal are stark. According to the American Heart Association:

• Nine out of 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital do not survive, and most of the time it is because no one nearby performed CPR.
• Immediate CPR and use of an automated external defibrillator, or AED, can double or even triple a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest.
• Less than half of people who experience cardiac arrest receive help from someone nearby before professional responders arrive.
• About 61% of people are unsure what to do in a cardiac emergency.

The association’s Executives with Heart effort, promoted alongside this year’s Heart Walk, challenges local business leaders to help ensure that at least one person in every household is ready to perform CPR.

Learning Hands-Only CPR

The CPR demonstrations at OWA focused on skills anyone can learn in minutes. The American Heart Association teaches Hands-Only CPR for adults in two steps: call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives.

Compressions should be delivered at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute. To help people keep the rhythm, the association promotes a “Don’t Drop the Beat” playlist of popular songs in that tempo range. It also offers CPR Anytime kits for self-paced training at home or work in about 20 minutes, and its website lists CPR courses offered across the country.

The association also stresses the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest. A heart attack happens when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked; cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops beating effectively. In either case, calling 911 right away is the first step, and in cardiac arrest, starting CPR immediately can make the difference.

Fundraising continues into December

Organizers said the Baldwin Heart Walk had raised a little more than $165,000 as of Saturday. The event’s fundraising goal is $210,000, according to its page on the American Heart Association’s website, and donations will be accepted for about six more weeks.

Dozens of teams from businesses, hospitals, government agencies and families signed up to walk and raise money. Teams listed on the event page included groups from Infirmary Health’s Thomas Hospital and Infirmary Health North Baldwin, Baldwin County Sewer Service, Collins Aerospace, OWA, Baldwin EMC, Riviera Utilities, the City of Foley and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, along with family teams walking in honor of loved ones.

The American Heart Association named Ormand P. Thompson III of Infirmary Health as chair of the 2026 Baldwin Heart Walk.

Money raised through Heart Walk supports the American Heart Association’s work in research, CPR training, public education and advocacy aimed at reducing deaths from heart disease and stroke, which the association describes as the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of death in the United States.

Mobile Heart Walk set for Nov. 7

Residents on the western side of the bay will get their own chance to walk soon. The Mobile Heart Walk is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at the University of South Alabama.

Like the Baldwin event, the Mobile walk raises money for the American Heart Association and typically features survivor recognition, health information and opportunities to learn CPR. Individuals can register to walk, join or form a team, or donate through the Heart Walk section of the American Heart Association’s website.

About the Heart Walk and the American Heart Association

The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s premier fundraising event, held in communities across the country each year. Participants raise money individually or in teams, and the walks bring together survivors, caregivers, medical professionals, businesses and families.

The American Heart Association, founded in 1924, is one of the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organizations dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Its Nation of Lifesavers campaign, nationally sponsored by Walgreens, encourages Americans to learn CPR, know how to use an AED and share stories that inspire others to act. The association also helps schools, workplaces, sports facilities and community groups develop Cardiac Emergency Response Plans, written step-by-step plans for responding to a cardiac arrest.

About OWA Parks & Resort

OWA Parks & Resort, at 101-N South OWA Boulevard in Foley, is a family destination owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Its downtown district of shops and restaurants and its walkable streets have made it a popular site for community events and charity walks in south Baldwin County.

How to get involved

• Donate: Contributions to the 2026 Baldwin Heart Walk are being accepted for about six more weeks through the event’s page on the American Heart Association website.
• Walk in Mobile: The Mobile Heart Walk is Saturday, Nov. 7, at the University of South Alabama.
• Learn CPR: Find a course or Hands-Only CPR training resources through the American Heart Association.
• Contact organizers: The Baldwin Heart Walk team can be reached at 228-604-5308 or [email protected].