HAMPTON -
They jumped for their headmaster's heart. They jumped in memory
of Haley and Katelynne Berland's daddy. And they jumped for his
wife, who became a widow when he died of heart disease just a
few months ago.
The clack-clack of jump ropes echoed in the Hampton Coliseum on
Wednesday as Gloria Dei Lutheran students participated in Jump
Rope for Heart, a national fundraiser for the American Heart
Association.
For 25 years, students at the private elementary school have
participated in honor of people they know whose lives are
touched by heart disease.
This year they jumped in memory of Kevin Berland, 44, who died
Dec. 22 of cardiac failure. His daughters are in first grade and
pre-school at Gloria Dei.
"It's a tremendous honor that they would
remember my husband like this," said Stacey Berland as she wiped
away tears. "He suffered his whole life, and did it with the
hope that events like this would help to find a cure one day."
Gloria Dei collected about $23,500 this year — last year they
led the state with more than $30,000 in donations. The school
was one of 130 schools in the area that participated Wednesday.
Students also jumped in honor of their headmaster, Pastor Doug
Stowe, who had heart bypass surgery around Christmas. He
received hugs and well-wishes from students as they took breaks
from hopping in place.
Around him, music boomed from speakers as second through fifth
graders and their teachers twirled ropes. Second-grader Maegan
Richards, 8, bounced on her toes before jumping in and keeping
pace with a long rope being turned by her teacher and a
classmate.
What has she learned about the heart this year?
"That they work your body," she said.
Jump Rope for Heart counted as students' physical education for
the day, said Mary Austin, the school's PE teacher. She has
coordinated the event at Gloria Dei for 17 years.
Fifth-grader Murraysha Williams, 11, said she and her friends
practice different jump-roping tricks throughout the year to
prepare. She's been participating since second grade. "It's
cool," Murraysha said. "And we're not just doing it for fun,
we're helping other people."
According to the AHA, about 870,000 people a year die from heart
disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
At the Coliseum, every grade displayed a banner with pink paper
hearts attached. Each student dedicated a heart to someone who
fought or died from a heart problem.
"In memory of Kurt Stock (German grandfather)," fifth-grader
William Hackworth wrote. His grandfather died in Germany when
William was 5 or 6. "I wanted to meet him."
Want to help?
Checks can be mailed to Gloria Dei Lutheran, Attn: Mary Austin, 250 Fox Hill Road, Hampton VA 23669. Or visit https://donate .americanheart.org/
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