Law enforcement officials from throughout LaPorte County gathered on Tuesday with organizers of the Bolt for the Heart Family 5K to tout the effort to bring lifesaving automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to every squad car in the county. The inaugural Bolt for the Heart 5K Family Run/Walk, presented by Franciscan Health, will be 8AM on Sunday, Sept. 8th in Washington Park. The eight law enforcement departments in LaPorte County are partnering with Bolt for the Heart and Play for Jake in this event, where 100 percent of the proceeds will go toward the goal of placing AEDs in police cars area to help save people who experience sudden cardiac arrest. Franciscan Health Michigan City hosted a launch event where organizers talked about the drive to make this event a success. Pierre Twer, president of Bolt for the Heart, thanked Michigan City Police Chief Royce Williams for taking the idea of the Bolt for the Heart 5K “to the next level” with approval from his entire department. He also acknowledged the support of Franciscan Health and its role in heart screening and creating awareness on the front end. Twer, who is a Michigan City native, emphasized three ways that community members can get involved: first, by always looking for the AED in public spaces; second, by registering for the race and getting family and friends involved; and third, for companies to sponsor an AED at the cost of $1,295 and have their support displayed in a sticker on the back window of the police vehicle. Individual entries are $30 and include a shirt and medal for those who sign up during the early registration period. Groups and families who buy four registrations can get one free. A Play For Jake registration package for $99 includes a jacket, shirt, custom bib and a Franciscan Health CT heart scan. Online registration for the Bolt for the Heart Family 5K is available at www.boltfortheheart.com.