The Suffolk HeartChase will hold its kickoff event on April 1 to get folks excited about the actual event, set for May 30.

HeartChase Director Ryan Holloway said the event, a fundraiser for the American Heart Association, has already raised more than last year.

“Last year’s HeartChase was No. 9 in the country,” he said. “Our goal is to raise $55,000. We’re at $32,000 now. That’s exciting from a mission perspective that Heartchase Suffolk is quickly becoming a great source of revenue to support the mission of the American Heart Association.”

The HeartChase is a team game that Holloway describes as “like a 5K, but instead of going through a run, you go on a scavenger hunt.”

Teams use the HeartChase app on their phones to find and complete checkpoint challenges. The team with the most points at the end of the day wins.

Fundraising is going on now and can earn teams a boost on the day of the event. The highest fundraising team gets a bonus and earns the right to penalize other teams.

Two additional checkpoints have been added this year, and all-new activities are planned. Also new this year is an executive challenge, Holloway said. Mayor Linda T. Johnson is the executive challenge chair and has been recruiting executive teams, business and community leaders to participate.

“We’re going to have some fun with it,” Holloway said. “All the teams that lost are going to have to do a crazy activity on stage at the end of the event.”

Also new this year, Mason’s restaurant will provide a post-event after party, including grilled chicken.

“We’re hoping to not only have a great event but then have some fun afterwards as well,” Holloway said.

He encouraged people to raise money before the event. Information on fundraising and on the event itself can be found at www.heartchasesuffolk.org.

Jim Bonner, general manager of QVC’s distribution center in Suffolk, is the executive chair of this year’s event.

The kickoff event will take place at 5 p.m. on April 1 at Sentara Obici Hospital, 2800 Godwin Blvd. RSVP to sjdelgad@sentara.com.

The actual event on May 30 will begin at Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, 100 Burnetts Way. Check-in begins at 9:30 a.m.