ST. GEORGE — The Utah Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will hold its seventh and final “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” for the year Saturday at the Washington City Community Center.
Check in will begin at 9 a.m. and the walk will be held at 10 a.m. Following the walk, the community is invited to join the Alzheimer’s Association for the “Big Purple Party” featuring games, information booths, food vendors and more.
Participation is free, but supporters are asked to create a team, join a team or donate to the association to help with the association’s four main goals:
- To offer care and support services to patients and their caregivers.
- To raise awareness of the disease.
- To advocate on behalf of people who have the disease.
- To promote research and outreach.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, approximately 5 million people in the United States are living with the disease. It is the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S.
Though one out of every three seniors aged 85 will be affected by the disease, there is still a great deal of stigma that exists surrounding Alzheimer’s, said Ronnie Daniel, the Utah chapter’s executive director.
Events like the St. George Walk to End Alzheimer’s aim to raise awareness of what the disease actually is and what resources are available to those who suffer from it and those who care for them.
The Utah Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association holds seven walks in different Utah cities throughout the year. Previous walks have been held in Logan, Ogden, Layton, Salt Lake City, Park City and Provo.
The St. George walk will be the final event of the year and is perhaps the most necessary, Daniel said.
The percentage of seniors aged 65 or over living in Washington County is about 34 percent, he said, making it a primary area to bring support services and make sure they are known to the community.
For Daniel, the association’s goals are something he feels strongly about, having lost both a grandparent and an aunt to Alzheimer’s. With his parents also aging and exhibiting signs of the disease, Daniel said, he wants to be sure his parents understand the resources available to them.
Event details
- What: “St. George Walk to End Alzheimer’s.”
- When: Saturday, Nov. 4 | Check in, 9 a.m.; walk, 10 a.m.; “Big Purple Party,” 11 a.m.
- Where: Washington City Community Center, 350 N. Community Center Drive, Washington City.
- Cost: Participation is free, but all participating teams are asked to fundraise for the Utah Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. T-shirts will be given for every $100 raised.
- Register: Online.
- Additional information: Participation in the Big Purple Party is free and open to the public. Food vendors vary in price and a portion of their proceeds will be donated to the association.
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