The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Jacksonville residents to join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, September 11th in Community Park.
Walk Manager Lisa Majernik says that several events are planned around the walk at the park: “Registration and all of our event’s festivities will begin at Noon. There is going to be a free lunch that is being donated by several businesses in the community. It will include hot dogs, chips, and donuts. We’ll have some kids’ games out. Our sponsors will be there with different activities. The walk will actually begin at 1:30 that afternoon.”
Majernik says that you can go to alz.org/walk to find out more information about signing up for the walk: “If you go to the website, you will be able to type in your Zip Code and the Jacksonville walk will pop up. From there, you can create a team when you register. If you have any further questions, my email and phone number are also listed on our website and you can reach out that way, too.”
Majernik says that the walk is one of the ways that the Alzheimer’s Association raises funds for local programs and seminars focusing on Alzheimer’s and other dementias: “The walk is not a donate-per-mile or anything like that. We just have that set loop around Community Park that we walk. Anyone can register and participate in the event. It’s free to register and participate, but as you raise different amounts of funds, you earn different incentives. The first incentive that you earn from raising funds is your purple t-shirt. Anyone who raises $100 or more will earn their purple t-shirt.”
Majernik says that participation in the walk has gone up exponentially in the last several years as prevalence of the disease has spread rapidly throughout the world. In Illinois alone, there are more than 230,000 people living with the disease and 383,000 caregivers.
For more information about the Alzheimer’s Association, call 1-800-273-3900 or visit alz.org. The Jacksonville Walk to End Alzheimer’s is hoping reach a $50,000 goal. As of today, there are 59 participants on 25 teams that have raised $17,764 of that goal.