Hearts are everywhere on Valentine’s Day, but most of them are candied or “heart-shaped.”

The Alpha Phi sorority is doing something a little different. With Heart Throb week the sorority is hosting five days of philanthropy events dedicated to raising money and awareness for women’s heart health.

“A lot of girls have personal connections to it,” said Sally Boone, the Vice President of Marketing for the sorority. “I know my grandma has suffered from two heart attacks now so it’s something that is really important to me.”

Her grandfather also had a heart attack, but Boone said she was surprised to see that the care her grandmother received was much different than that of her grandfather.

“I didn’t know that there is a lot more research on men’s heart health than on women’s,” Boone said. “So I think it’s something that is very important and so relevant in so many people’s lives.”

Heart Throb week is both a competition and a philanthropy event.

Every event raises money for the Alpha Phi Foundation—an organization dedicated to “scholarship and heart health,” according to the Alpha Phi Vice President of Community Relations, Emilie Moorman.

Every fraternity can also enter a member into a weeklong competition to be crowned Mr. Heart Throb, Moorman said. Competitors will participate in the philanthropic events for points and at the end of the week, Alpha Phi will announce this year’s Mr. Heart Throb.

The competition is also meant to boost participation in the events as a fraternity can back an entrant by attending and participating in events with him, Boone said. For example, on Monday, competitors will be helping collect blood donations. The competitor with the most donations in his name wins 100 points—and his brothers can certainly help him out with that.

Throughout the week, Alpha Phi will also be donating “a whole lot” of CPR kits to buildings around campus, Boone said.

A few highlights of the week include the Monday blood drive at the Alpha Phi house that kicks off Heart Throb week. On Wednesday, which is also Valentine’s Day, there will be a hotdog eating competition at the house. Participants will spend their romantic evening trying to scarf down the most hotdogs in three minutes.

Heart Throb week ends with Mac ‘n’ Phis—a $5 macaroni dinner that begins at 9 p.m. Friday at the Alpha Phi house. Mr. Heart Throb will be announced there.

Boone said she hopes that people outside of Greek life will also attend.

“We really want to invite people that aren’t just in Greek life,” she said. “We’ve been working to make a bigger sense of community at UK in general.”

FULL HEART THROB WEEK SCHEDULE

All events will be at the Alpha Phi House unless specified otherwise

• Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Blood drive, donuts and hot drinks
• Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Candy gram sales
• Tuesday, 6 to p.m. – Kendra Scott pop-up shop
• Tuesday night – Restaurant night at Local Taco
• Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – Hot dog eating contest
• Thursday – Wear red to support women’s heart health
• Friday, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. – Mac ‘n’ Phis dinner