It's Heart and Stroke Month, and the Portage campaign has started canvassing.

Organizer Shawn Rawlings says he has about 100 volunteers, but still needs more.

"I can always use more," says Rawlings. "There's certain areas I wish I could canvass, but we just don't have the amount of volunteers needed. We really need a lot of volunteers to cover Portage and the surrounding areas that we cover, which is primarily the RM of Portage."

Rawlings says the age of canvassers is usually 18 and older, but he says if youth wish to get involved, it's a simple process to help out.

"If a youth wishes to go canvassing, then the parent or legal guardian must sign a release form," says Rawlings.

He notes you can choose whatever area you wish to canvass, and there's no set amount to raise for funds. They encourage everyone to cover their route about three times, hopefully making contact with homeowners once.

Rawlings stresses the Heart and Stroke Foundation is a Manitoba-made organization, brought to life by a doctor trained in Brandon in 1958. He says since then, the organization has reduced the number of heart attacks and strokes by 75 percent.

If you wish to get involved, contact Shawn at 204-239-1058 or text 204-871-0502.