The color red can symbolize many things but what makes the color stand out is that it is uniquely attractive. As students walked by the University Center [UC] on Friday February 6, 2015, many were attracted to the color, as it drew the campus community to learn about heart disease in women. As a nationally recognized day, Wear Red Day is aimed to support the research and fundraising in women’s health.

Reports from the American Heart Association say that one in three women will die of a stroke and heart disease. In addition, heart disease is rated as the number one killer for women in the United States and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. Mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts—everyday women are dying at the rate of almost one per minute.

To promote awareness for the disease, the center for leadership and service [CLS] placed all kinds of fruits on the table for anyone who walked by.  As soon as someone walked in the UC, they were greeted with a warming and welcoming hello and offered the most juiciest, fruitful, and healthiest snack. Fruits such as strawberries, bananas, grapes, and oranges were all given to the students, faculty, and visitors, as well as other healthy, nutritious food such as cranberries, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, and dark chocolate.

For a dollar donation, one would receive a red dress pin, which is a symbol of their commitment to love and show care to their heart and healthy being. As a result, they would also be offered to spin a trivial wheel and ask a question to test their knowledge on heart disease and women’s health. If answered correctly, one would receive an information package on the disease. The information package included pamphlets, red ribbon magnets, stress balls, facts on keeping the body healthy, and family trees.

Maricel Claricia, junior special education major, is a member of the Fit to Be Kean Program [FTBK]. The FTBK Program is designed to guide and motivate students towards their fitness goals and present ways to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. Offered through Health Services, classes such as Zumba, Step Aerobics, Cardio Kickboxing, Boot Camp, and Total Body Conditioning are free for all students who attend the university. Claricia believes the program is beneficial in numerous ways.

“Since I’m a part of the program, I feel like this [is] the best way to get people to have a healthy mindset and motivate them to work out,” Claricia said.

Katherine Trela, junior chemistry education major, is another member of the program. “If people were to spread the word on their social media accounts, more people would know about wearing red and its importance,” said Trela. Trela also said, “a lot of people think working out is going to the gym, but our program focuses on fitness classes that are a lot more fun and many don’t realize how many calories they are actually burning.”

Fit to Be Kean Program instructor Victoria Palmer-Gilliard invited students to join as she demonstrated all sorts of dance movements and body techniques in the UC. Gilliard declared, “Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”