Franciscan Health Michigan City is teaming up with Bolt for the Heart and the Play for Jake Foundation to sponsor a 5K family walk/run.

Proceeds from the event will be used to fund maintenance for AEDs in emergency vehicles across La Porte County. An AED (automated external defibrillator) is used to help a person experiencing cardiac arrest.

Bolt for the Heart is an Indiana-based nonprofit organization. It raises funds through sponsorships, donations and running events to buy and maintain AEDs for first responders. Bolt for the Heart has placed over 3,250 AEDS throughout Indiana. As of the fall of 2023, every law enforcement vehicle in La Porte County is equipped with an AED.

“These hometown heroes are usually the first to a scene, and if they have all the equipment that they need such as an AED, lives will certainly be saved,” said Pierre Twer, Bolt for the Heart founder, in a press release.

The La Porte-based Play for Jake Foundation has been part of the Bolt for the Heart program since its inception. Founder Julie West is driven to help families due to the loss her family experienced. Her son, Jake, died on the La Porte High School practice field as the result of an undetected heart condition in 2013.

“We know that AEDs save lives, especially when placed in first responder vehicles,” West said. “We also know that AEDs require continued maintenance, which is why this race is so important. Our community’s participation will ensure all patrol cars have access to new batteries and new defibrillation pads exactly when they’re needed.”

The annual 5K walk/run is scheduled to take place at 8 a.m. July 27 at Fox Memorial Park’s Dennis F. Smith Amphitheater in La Porte. Learn more about the event here.

Mishawaka-based Franciscan Health is a 12-hospital health system serving Indiana and Illinois. The health network has providers at over 260 locations. Franciscan Health began in 1895 in Lafayette.