America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk Team Challenge winners announced
Special event celebrates top fundraisers
The American Heart Association announced the Team Challenge winners for America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk Weekend 2018 at the High 5 Club Party on Tuesday evening. The event was held Hart’s Hill Inn in Whitesboro. The High 5 Club Party and Memorial Awards Ceremony are held to honor those participants who raise $500 or more for America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk. This year’s total of 223 High 5 Club members raised nearly $300,000.
The top fundraiser received a special honor. Albert Pylinski, Jr., raised more than $85,000.
Before the official party got underway, a special reception was held for Grand VIP members who raised at least $1,000. The reception was sponsored by Scalzo, Zogby, and Wittig, Inc. Insurance.
2018 Team Challenge Winners
| Team Competition Category | Highest Total Pledge |
| Fire Department – Arthur Bizzari Memorial Award | Mohawk Volunteer Fire Department |
| Government | Griffiss Institute |
| Institutions of Finance | Flemma-Gornick Financial Group |
| Insurance | NYCM Insurance |
| Fitness | The Fitness Mill |
| Manufacturing | Bonide |
| Organizations & Clubs – James Blackshear Memorial Award | Boonville Elks Club |
| Friends & Family | Team Stasaitis |
| Colleges & Higher Education | Utica College |
| Schools – K-12 – Michael J. Arcuri Memorial Award | Poland Has Heart |
| Veterans Organizations – Bill Oliver Memorial Award | Team Guca/Malsan-Jones VFW 7393 |
| Unions – Richard E. Roy Memorial Award | Public Employees Federation Region 6 |
| Non-Profit Agency | Kids Oneida |
| Large Corporate | Hannaford’s Supermarkets |
| Small Corporate | McQuade & Bannigan, Inc. |
| Community Teams – Oneida County | Team Victoria |
| Community Teams – Madison County | Team Leonardsville |
| Community Teams – Lewis County | Team Brickfront |
| Community Teams – Otsego County | Team 51 |
| Community Teams – Herkimer County | Team Chris’s Hearts |
| Community Teams – North Country | Team Zimmer |
Other Award Winners:
- The Donald and Maureen Montano Memorial Award – Theresa Flemma
- The Edmund Bruni, Sr. Memorial Award – NYCM Insurance
- The Fay Schreck Memorial Award – Marolyn Wilson
- The George Lein Memorial Award – Albert Pylinski, Jr.
- The Lew Roberts Memorial Award – Diana Sparrow
America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk 2018 is locally sponsored by signature sponsor NYCM Insurance; local sponsors Scalzo, Zogby and Wittig, Inc. Insurance; MetLife; AmeriCU Credit Union, and The Fitness Mill. For more information on America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk 2018, please contact the American Heart Association at 315.580.3964 or visit www.uticaheartrunwalk.org.