Solstice Benefits Exceeds Goal, Raises $31,000 for American Heart Association

PLANTATION, Fla., March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday, March 17th, 2012, Solstice Benefits - a leading dental and vision benefits provider - participated as a 2012 Start! Heart Walk sponsor, raising over $31,880 for the American Heart Association. Solstice exceeded their $30,000 goal, almost doubling their results from 2011.

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Solstice employees and their families walked together to fight cardiovascular disease, the #1 killer in men and women and the #2 killer in children, at the Heart Walk event which attracted thousands of community members. The event featured a 5K (3.1) mile journey to promote a healthier lifestyle and participants celebrated raising nearly $700,000 in lifesaving funds for heart and stroke research.

As periodontal disease is linked to heart disease, Solstice showed their commitment to increasing awareness of the important Oral Health/Heart Health connection through their fundraising. Solstice, whose theme was "We Heart Your Smile" provided Heart Walk participants with toothbrushes, rinse cups, free dental plan raffle and tips promoting the Oral Health/Heart Health connection, in addition to their "Show Solstice your Smile" Photobooth, which captured the smiles of over 750 heart disease survivors, walkers, and volunteers.

"Our mission is to improve the lives of those we serve and we are proud to serve our community through this extremely worthwhile event. We are committed to raising awareness of the important Oral Health / Heart Health connection; the American Heart Association is a cause that every one of our employees embraces as heart disease has affected at least one person in our lives," said Carlos Ferrera, Chief Operating Officer at Solstice and member of the Heart Walk's 2012 Executive Leadership Team. "It is hard to describe the sense of pride I have for our company as they raised over $31,000. The passion Solstice employees embodied for this cause was remarkable. Walking together to support heart health was indescribable. I am incredibly proud of the Solstice team."

Solstice Benefits received the American Heart Association's Fit-Friendly Gold Level award at this year's Heart Walk for their commitment to providing healthy lifestyle options to their employees. Through their continued dedication to the mission of the American Heart Association, Solstice continues to offer heart-healthy programs to their employees including nutritional counseling, wellness fairs, walking paths and weight loss programs.

About Solstice Benefits:

Solstice, a Broward based company, is one of the largest ancillary benefits providers in Florida, with a commitment to improving health. Solstice was awarded the prestigious title of "Florida's Best Companies 2011" by Florida Trend and is a National American Heart Association Gold Level Fit-Friendly Company. Their commitment to visual and oral health extends into their corporate initiatives, and through integrated programs that incorporate visual and oral health into overall wellness.

Solstice offers dental, vision and life benefits plans to groups and consumers. They are a customer service oriented company that values exceptional service, integrity and value-added benefits. Their well-rounded plans, expansive network and service-oriented mentality keep them in the forefront of their industry. For information on Solstice, please contact Alissa Gavrilescu at 1.877.760.2247 or visit www.SolsticeBenefits.com.

SOURCE Solstice Benefits