The Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter is inviting Asheville area residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on October 10.
Presented by Ingles, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Asheville continues, but instead of hosting a large gathering, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging participants to walk as individuals or in small groups on sidewalks, tracks and trails across Buncombe and surrounding counties.
“This year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be everywhere,” said Katherine L. Lambert, CEO of the Western Carolina Chapter. “The pandemic is changing how we walk, but it doesn’t change the need to walk. This year, more than ever, we need to come together to support all those affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. With the dollars raised, the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to provide care and support to families during these difficult times while also advancing critical research toward methods of treatment and prevention.”
Time-honored components of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s are being replicated. On Walk day, an Opening Ceremony will feature local speakers and a presentation of Promise Flowers to honor the personal reasons participants join together to fight Alzheimer’s and all other dementia, all delivered online to participants. Next, everyone will walk in their own neighborhoods with their family and friends. Finally, the Alzheimer’s Association will create the iconic Promise Garden in a “view only” format that participants can drive by on Walk day at Beverly-Hanks & Associates, REALTORS in Asheville to honor all those impacted by Alzheimer’s.
To enhance the participant experience leading up to the event and on Walk day, new features are being added to the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app to create an opportunity for the community to connect. Participants can use the app and new “Walk Mainstage” to track their steps and distance, follow a virtual Walk path, manage their Facebook fundraisers, and access information and resources from the Association and Walk sponsors to help individuals and families affected by the disease. A new audio track is also available to encourage participants along the way and to congratulate them upon completion of their Walk.
“Alzheimer’s is not taking a hiatus during COVID-19 and neither are we,” said Robin Boylan, 2020 Asheville Walk Chair. “We must continue Walk to End Alzheimer’s, and we are working with all participants to ensure they have a powerful and moving experience that is felt when we are together. Many of our constituents are at higher risk when it comes to COVID-19 and we know that our volunteers and participants appreciate our commitment to keeping all involved healthy and safe.”
More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 16 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In North Carolina alone, there are more than 180,000 people living with the disease and 479,000 caregivers.
The Alzheimer’s Association hosts 19 walks across North Carolina including: Alamance County, Asheville, Charlotte, Gaston/Cleveland/Lincoln Counties, Fayetteville, Guilford County, Henderson County, Hickory, Iredell County, Jacksonville, Moore County, Mount Airy, New Bern, North Wilkesboro, Robeson County, Rowan-Cabarrus Counties, Triangle (Raleigh and Durham), Wilmington and Winston-Salem. To register and receive the latest updates on any of this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit: alz.org/walk.
To sign up as a walker or Team Captain or to learn more about becoming a sponsor of Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Asheville, visit act.alz.org/Asheville or call 800-272-3900.
Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association® mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.
About the Alzheimer’s Association®
The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Its mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.
About the Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter:
The Western Carolina Chapter provides patient and family services, information and referral, education, and advocacy in 49 central and western North Carolina counties. It offers opportunities to get involved and to make a difference, in addition to a variety of services including: a 24/7 Helpline, support groups, educational programs, and MedicAlert®. For more information about Alzheimer’s disease or the Alzheimer’s Association Western Carolina Chapter, visit www.alz.org/northcarolina or call (800) 272-3900. For the latest news and updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.