NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- Alyssa Pomichter died in 2007. She was a first-grader at Poland Central School. "Alyssa went into a sudden Arrhythmia due to a Cardiomyopathy that we were not aware of and unfortunately it was a fatal Arrhythmia," said her mother Patricia Linneen. "Alyssa was a total social butterfly. She loved everybody. She was very close to several of her classmates. She made an impact on everybody."

It's an impact that her teacher and classmates, who are now seniors, still reflect on. For more than a decade, Team Poland Has Heart has participated in American Heart Association events. On Wednesday, they visited Sangertown Square mall for an indoor walk and brought along current first-graders.

"It was sad when she passed away and it's to honor our family member, Alyssa, who I mean, we were all close with when we younger and you don't want to forget something important like that," said student Elizabeth Comstock.

Not only does walking give students a chance to come together and remember their classmate but they say they've also learned a lot about Heart Disease through it.

"I think people should be aware about it so they know what it can cause and I think that's why we walk also, to raise awareness for it," said Alyssa's cousin Keenan Satterlee.

Now 11 years later, Alyssa's mom said it means a lot to have her daughter's memory kept alive in this way.

"They always come together regardless of what's going on or what phase in life they are in because there are bumps in the road along the way there, but they always come back around and pull together for this cause and it means a ton to us as her family."

Showing that Poland has heart.

The Healthy for Good Expo is March 2 from 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. At Utica College. The America's Greatest Heart Run and Walk is March 3. Registration opens at 6:00 a.m. 

For more information, visit the 2018 America's Greatest Heart Run and Walk website.