Article Photos

AMSTERDAM - Anthony L. Scott is getting to the heart of giving this holiday season.

Every day, Scott, 71, straps on his felt antlers and a red, flashing Rudolph nose and jogs from his Fort Johnson home at least 4 miles to collect donations for the American Heart Association's Utica Heart Run and Walk in March.

He runs through neighborhoods, offices and store checkout lines along Route 30, raising money as he has since 1999. This year, Scott decided to do his fundraising while dressed like one of Santa's reindeer.

"My wife thinks I'm nuts," Scott said. "But she knows I enjoy it a lot."

Scott said he already set a record this year for the most funds he's ever raised at $23,000, which is still $2,000 shy of his $25,000 goal for the season.

Today, he is listed on uticaheartrunwalk.org as the top fundraiser. The Utica American Heart Association posted on its Web site that it has received $5,870 from Scott so far this year. Officials from the Utica American Heart Association could not be reached for comment this morning because their offices are closed until Jan. 4 for the holidays.

Scott said before this year, he has donated $142,109 for the American Heart Association over the past 20 years. During his runs, he distributes American Heart Association pamphlets that double as donation envelopes addressed to him. He also collects donations during his runs.

Since February is National Heart Month, Scott usually distributes his sponsorship envelopes during his January and February jogs, but this year he'll be traveling to California during that time so he decided to incorporate Christmas into his yearly tradition.

Scott has been raising funds for heart disease and stroke research since 1989 when he was first inspired at the American Heart Association's Utica Heart Run and Walk.

Scott's family has a history of heart problems. His father had a pacemaker back when the device was "as big as a pack of cigarettes," Scott said.

"Now the pacemaker is just a little disc," Scott said. "That shows you how important research is."

His daughter also tackled heart disease three years ago when a virus attacked her heart. She was put on a waiting list for a heart transplant, but has since been removed from the list. Scott's daughter continues to improve with the help of therapy and medication.

"The idea is that this money goes toward research," Scott said. "I don't think there's a family out there without some history of heart disease."

Every once in a while, Scott said he'll encounter a grinch, but most people on his run are more than receptive to his cause. Scott estimates he's collected donations from more than 1,000 people, most on a yearly basis.

Bob and Betty Donohue of Fort Johnson look forward to seeing Scott every year.

"We enjoy his yearly visits," Betty Donohue said. "It makes our day and it makes giving easier."

Most of Scott's donors have given to the cause for the last 15 to 20 years. The largest donation he ever received was $250, he said.

"Some people just give me their spare change," he said. "Like I tell people, it all adds up."

Scott mostly collects his donations by knocking on doors. Some years he'll add a new street to his route, and this year he has jogged up and down Route 30 frequently and throughout Fort Johnson.

"I don't hesitate to ask people. It's either going to be a yes or a no," Scott said. "I think people like to give something face to face. They hate to get things in the mail all of the time. It makes people happy, and that's what we need now."

Total donations for the Utica Heart Run and Walk scheduled for March 5 and 6 total $232,028 so far. The event goal is $1.2 million.

Scott has trained for several marathons and races, making running part of his daily routine for years. Before he retired, he worked as a machinist for General Electric.

Amanda Whistle can be reached at montco@leaderherald.com.