The Friends of Heart organization hosts their Black Tie and Blue Jeans fundraiser

JACKSON, Tenn.– A local organization is raising money for a good cause.

Attendees broke out their black ties and blue jeans for this fundraiser.

The Friends of Heart organization is raising money to help save lives, one heart at a time.

The Friends of Heart organization hosted their Black Tie and Blue Jeans fundraiser.

The event is the organization’s largest fundraiser and included live music, a silent auction, and wine tasting.

Organization co-chair, Bob Arrington, said each dollar raised goes to help provide the community with cardiovascular care.

“It’s all about heart and vascular care for West Tennessee. The money raised through friends of heart stays local, stays in Jackson and in West Tennessee,” Arrington said.

This is the second Black Tie and Blue Jeans fundraiser.

The organization hosted one in 2019 but had to cancel last year due to the pandemic.

Friends of Heart Executive Director Tracy Case said this year, they are hoping to raise $80,000.

That money is going toward their new project, the 4-minute city.

“What we’ll be doing is placing AEDs within our community and the Jackson city limits. We will be placing 300 smart-connected AEDs so that everyone within the Jackson city limits will be within four minutes of an AED should they have a sudden cardiac arrest incident,” Case said.

Along with the 4-minute city project, Arrington hopes to accomplish even more with the organization.

“To build an independent heart center, heart hospital, to combine all cardiac and heart rehab care into one facility. That’s the long term goal which will take us over the next five years,” Arrington said.

But Arrington said the main goal for friends of heart is to keep giving back to the community.

“Friends of Heart has raised a lot of money already and have put it directly back into the West Tennessee community,” Arrington said.

Case said the organization announced the 4-minute city project plans during the fundraiser.