PITTSBURG, Kan. — With every step carrying a story of love, memory, and hope, the Southeast Kansas Walk to End Alzheimer’s returns to Gorilla Village on Saturday, Sept. 19, once again bringing the community together to fund critical research and support services.
Located on the campus of Pittsburg State University on the east side of Carnie Smith Stadium, dozens upon dozens of people are expected to converge next weekend for a morning of inspiring ceremonies, music, food, fun, and a short group walk.
The event is held in more than 600 communities across the United States. It began around 1989 as the “Memory Walk” with nine chapter events that raised $150,000. Renamed to the “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” in 2011, the event has raised more than $1.5 billion over the years for awareness, support, and research.
The ultimate goal is to create a world without Alzheimer’s Disease and all other forms of dementia, a decline in mental abilities. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, an estimated 7.4 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with the disease. Approximately two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s are women and it ranks as the fifth-leading cause of death for Americans age 65 years or older.
The Southeast Kansas Walk to End Alzheimer’s is sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association’s Heart of America Chapter. Activities begin at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 19 with registration followed by an opening ceremony around 9:45 a.m. that features welcome remarks, sponsor recognition, a mission moment, meaningful stories from community members, and, of course, the “Flower Ceremony.”
The ceremony aims to demonstrate solidarity in the fight against the disease as walkers carry flowers of various colors representing a personal connection to the disease. The colors are blue (for someone living with Alzheimer's or another dementia), purple (for those who have lost someone to the disease), yellow (for someone who is currently supporting or caring for a person living with Alzheimer's), and orange (for those who support the cause).
Closing off this year’s Southeast Kansas Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the annual walk, around one mile in length around Gorilla Village.
Local businesses and residents have been competing against one another all in the name of support and awareness in the months and weeks leading up to the event. As of late Monday morning, 45 percent of the fundraiser’s goal ($22,000) has been reached with$9,963 raised. So far, the Southeast Kansas Walk to End Alzheimer’s is comprised of 76 participants and 21 teams.
According to the organization, the top individuals to date are Courtney Imhof ($450), Cordell Berger ($120), Gretchen Price ($110), Nana Agnes Mateer ($110), and Laura Mateer ($100). The top five teams are Team Fred ($670), Pitt Care & Rehab ($500), Edward Jones – SEK ($395), Team Ramrod ($210), and Mercy – Pittsburg ($100).
For more information, call Andrea Stockwell at 913-948-8647 or email anstockwell@alz.org. Registration can be found by visiting alzwalkseks.org.
This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews.
