NEWS

The Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Richmond will hold three Walks in its service area this year; a Middle Peninsula-Northern Neck Walk on Saturday, October 7 at Bethpage Camp Resort in Urbanna; a Fredericksburg Walk on Saturday, October 14 at University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg; and a Richmond Walk on Saturday, November 4 at Markel Plaza in Innsbrook.

These Walks are opportunities to learn about Alzheimer’s disease and how they can continue their involvement in the cause; from advocacy opportunities and clinical trial enrollment, to support programs and services.

Walk participants will also come together and participate in a ceremony to honor those affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias; the Promise Garden ceremony. This ceremony is a commitment to fulfill their promise to remember, to honor, to care and to fight Alzheimer’s disease. The different colors of the promise flowers represent the diverse reasons why they walk – blue flowers indicating the individual has Alzheimer’s, yellow flowers indicating the individual is a caregiver for someone with Alzheimer’s, purple flowers indicating the individual has lost someone to Alzheimer’s, and orange flowers indicating the individual supports the cause and the vision of a world without Alzheimer’s. Each participant will also have an opportunity to write a personal message on their promise flower to further strengthen their dedication.

In Virginia, 140,000 individuals are currently living with Alzheimer’s, including an estimated 26,000 in the Greater Richmond Chapter’s service area. By 2025, estimates indicate that 190,000 Virginians will have Alzheimer’s.

The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the Greater Richmond Chapter’s largest fundraising event of the year, and this year’s goal for the  Middle Peninsula – Northern Neck Walk is $82,000. The combined goal for the three Alzheimer’s Association Greater Richmond Chapter Walks is $793,000.

To register a team, join an existing team, or to donate, please visit alz.org/walk.