BGV Gives hosts 8^th Annual Rob Millisor Heart Health Walk

The philanthropic arm of Breckenridge Grand Vacations, known as BGV Gives, will host their 8^th Annual Rob A Millisor Heart Health Walk on Saturday, June 10, at Carter Park in Breckenridge.  

As part of Breckenridge Grand Vacations’ new Community Impact department, BGV Gives provides over $1M annually in grants, sponsorships and in-kind donations in Summit and Park Counties, focusing primarily on local health, human services and education.

Brothers Rob and Mike Millisor started Breckenridge Grand Vacations in 1984, joined later by partner and CEO Mike Dudick. Rob had always had a heart for philanthropy, so in 2015, after hearing of a devastating earthquake in Nepal, he traveled there with a local doctor on a humanitarian trip to support the people who were suffering.  While hiking from one village to the next, Rob suffered cardiac arrest and died at age 51. This tragic loss was the catalyst for organizing the company’s philanthropy into one cohesive program, BGV Gives, which was established in March 2016.  

The company took to heart the need for heart health in Summit County, and funded equipment and education along with providing free cholesterol screenings and cardiac CT scans.  BGV Gives hosts heart health lunches and events throughout the year and holds two annual employee blood drives.

In the seven years since its inception, the Rob A Millisor (RAM) Heart Health walk has raised just under $1.2 million. All proceeds go into a special fund at Summit Foundation; BGV pays the expenses of the event so every dollar raised goes back into the community.  “Rob was a big supporter of the Summit Foundation and the core programs that make Summit County a vibrant place to live and play,” said Tara Dew, BGV Gives Program Manager.  “The funds go to health initiatives and programs that are at the heart of the community.”

Throughout the year, money raised at the walk helps to fund heart health initiatives and programs at Summit Community Care Clinic as well as sports programs for youth, especially scholarships so that low-income kids can participate in healthy recreational activities.  

Another program that is funded by the heart walk is BGV partner Starting Hearts, which purchases and provides AEDs around the community and does AED education and first aid training.  “One of our big initiatives is to provide AEDs around the Summit County communities, but also in our buildings.  Those have saved two people’s lives who have had heart attacks at BGV properties.” Dew explained.   

“We are so grateful for BGV Gives’s continuing support of Starting Hearts.  Because of their amazing generosity as well as their community involvement and concern, we can continue our mission to save lives of sudden cardiac arrest victims in Summit County.  We do so through widespread defibrillator placements, free education in schools and in public, and community outreach.  BGV Gives provides steady support to Starting Hearts’ mission of saving precious lives,” said Jackie Christiansen, Starting Hearts Summit County Director.

The 8^th Annual RAM Heart Walk will occur June 10, 2023, at Carter Park in Breckenridge.  The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with morning snacks for all participants and a variety of heart health and lifestyle booths to peruse, followed by a free yoga stretch for runners and walkers at 9 a.m.  Robbie’s Run 5K Trail Race begins at 10 a.m., with a 5K trail walk beginning 15 minutes later.  Participants can also choose the one-mile town walk, which starts at 10:30 a.m., and from 10:45-11:30 a.m. there will be another round of free yoga stretching.  Following the run/walk will be lunch, live entertainment, heart health/healthy lifestyle booths, free heart screenings, and children’s activities.

To learn more, or to register for the event, visit BGVgives.org