It is never too early to learn about heart health.

Representatives from Carter County Drug Prevention Coalition, Elizabethton Parks and Recreation, the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library and UT – Extension continued their monthly series of events for homeschoolers on Thursday with a special Valentine’s Day-themed party inside the City of Elizabethton Recreation Center.

Since forming the partnership, each department has brought their own element to specialized events for homeschool students. Each month, the departments come together to choose a theme and have activities based on the aspect of the theme.

With last month’s geared toward Martin Luther King Jr. and promoting equality and unity, Jilian Reece said this month’s theme is geared more toward healthy living.

“We’re always excited to host these monthly homeschool events,” Reece said. “We enjoy having these types of events, but this month’s is extremely important with it being Heart Health Month and it being the month of Valentine’s Day.”

UT – Extension provided healthy snacks for children during the event while representatives from the library offered arts and crafts to go along with different Valentine’s Day games. Children also brought in their own customized Valentine’s Day box, which was placed in a competition to receive a prize.

Over the course of the month, individuals are encouraged to wear red and promote awareness about the necessary steps it takes to have a healthy heart.

According to information from the Heart Foundation, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

The information indicates that heart disease continues to run rampant as a cause of death in the country, ranging from heart disease, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

But events like Heart Health Month are geared to help raise awareness, especially with heart disease being preventable, Reece said.

Some of the ideas children learned throughout the day included how to make heart-healthy choices, the joys of staying active and having regular check-ups.