Hundreds dress in red at Mt. Bachelor

February is considered “Go Red for Women” month, a special month to support women’s heart health.

And hundreds were at Mt. Bachelor on Sunday to show their support.

The Tour for the Heart is a fund-raiser with the proceeds going to the Oregon chapter of the American Heart Association.

Skiers and snowshoers dressed up in their best red gear to make the 5K loop around the Nordic Center.

While the event raised just $1,000 last year, organizers say the message is more important than the money.

“Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in women,” said J.D. Downing, the organizer for the event. “We always think of it as a guys’ disease, but it’s absolutely the thing that is affecting all of us. It’s something that we all have to be taking care of ourselves.”

Downing said it didn’t matter how long it took the nearly 300 people who participated Sunday, only that the community was out at the mountain exercising.

Studies show that a person’s risk for heart disease can be lowered by almost 80 percent, if they have a healthy lifestyle.