It looks like Valentine’s Day came early to Parker Square this year, as patrons are bound to see red hearts decorating the windows of shops throughout the square. Upon closer investigation, shoppers will discover that the hearts signify a fundraiser for a local non-profit charity organization, Friends 4 Heart, founded to help kids with congenital heart defects. The Parker Square effort to support this group will culminate on Wednesday, Oct. 22, with the day set aside for merchants to donate a percentage of proceeds to the charity.

    Friends 4 Heart was founded last May by Flower Mound residents Tracy and Scott Price in celebration of their nine year old son Jake, who was born with congenital heart defects. The goal of the group is to raise funds to benefit the research, treatment and support for children with congenital heart defects with the desire to help change children’s lives. Tracy Price said approximately 1 million Americans have a congenital heart defect.  “According to the American Heart Association, about 40,000 infants (1 out of 125) are born with heart defects each year in the United States, with at least one-half million children having some form of cardiac problem. There are 35 known congenital heart defects,” said Price.

    Throughout the month of October, Parker Square establishments are selling hearts for one dollar each with 100% of the funds raised going directly to Friends 4 Heart. Megan Condrack, owner of Megan’s at Parker Square, helped organize this month’s effort. “That’s what I love. I love helping, and anytime I can help someone in our own community, that’s the answer for me,” she said. Condrack said she became friends with the Price family through the years as they visited her store. “You have to give back to the community you live in. It’s a payback, and everyone in this community understands this, which is so great.”

    Price said she and her husband learned of Jake’s heart defect in a routine check right before they left the hospital after their first child was born. “We had no idea what a heart murmur was,” Price said, adding that Jake didn’t get to leave the hospital that day and underwent surgery two days later. Jake is now a happy and healthy student at Bridlewood Elementary and his mom said he will eventually undergo another surgery to correct narrowing of the heart valves. “There are a lot of kids and families that are not as fortunate as we are,” Price said, in explaining one of the reasons they established Friends 4 Heart. For this first year’s efforts, they have selected Medical City Children’s Hospital to benefit, where the money will go toward research into heart defects and other programs for children and families affected by this.

    If you’d like to be a part of this fundraising effort, plan on visiting Parker Square sometime this month to buy a red heart. October 22nd will be a very special day in the square, with various retailers donating amounts ranging from one to 25 percent of sales that day. Families could take their children to Adventure Kids, where 25% of sales will be donated that day, plus 25% of all childcare for anyone that shops at a participating retailer on Oct. 22nd. With the kids taken care of, you could stroll over to one of the many participating stores to shop, perhaps have your hair done at Anna & Friends, who will be giving 15% of sales, then wind up at Sonoma’s for dinner, where 10% of sales that day will be donated to Friends 4 Heart. Other participating Parker Square locations include Crush! Wine Boutique, Excite! Gym and Cheer, Extravaganza, Jack’s House Clothing Co., Loretta’s Intimates, Megan’s @ Parker Square, Out West Down South, Stover Chiropractic, Studio South Photography and Wiffy Unique and Casual Wear.

    The Price family, which also includes seven year old Katelyn and four year old Kylie, will hope to see you at ths square on October 22nd. “ In today’s world, I think we all have to work together as a community. Parker Square steps up to the plate again and again,” Condrack said.