Go Purple in Enfield for Walk to End Alzheimer's- Sunday, Sept. 9

Enfield, CT – The Alzheimer’s Association® is inviting Enfield and surrounding town’s residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The Walk will take place on September 9 at the Enfield Town Green in Enfield, Connecticut. Registration that day begins at 8:30 a.m. with the ceremony starting at 10 a.m. and the Walk at 10:30 a.m. RSVP on Facebook.

Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's participants will complete a 2 mile walk and will learn about Alzheimer's disease, advocacy opportunities, clinical studies enrollment and support programs and services from the Alzheimer’s Association. Walk participants also honor those affected by Alzheimer's disease with the poignant Promise Garden ceremony.

Jessica Oliveira, now an Enfield Walk committee member, had been involved in the Enfield Walk to End Alzheimer’s for seven years when she started dating her future husband, Jesse Faulk. It didn’t take long for Jessica to see how committed Jesse was to the Alzheimer’s Association fight. Soon after, she invited him to a committee meeting and became great volunteers. The two have since married!

“I told them I wasn’t real good at asking people for money or walking up to people and starting a conversation on the subject,” Jesse said. “So I started with the 2016 Walk and then the 2017 Walk working on logistics and behind the scenes things and I enjoyed that a lot.”

For his work last Walk season as one of the only male committee members in Connecticut, Jesse was named 2017 Volunteer of the Year by the Enfield Walk Manager, Bob Mayer.

“Even though the disease may affect women more than men, it is truly a family disease because the family turns into caregivers,” Jesse said. “Both Jess and I have Alzheimer’s disease present in our families so it could hit anybody. I think having more men will add to the diversity of the committees and make them stronger.”

In addition to the 2 mile walk, participants will enjoy a newly paved walking route, Paws for a Cause, a children’s area, a chance drawing and an assortment of food trucks.

More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, the sixth-leading cause of death in the U.S. and the only disease among the top 10 causes that cannot be cured, prevented or even slowed. Additionally, more than 16 million family and friends provide care to people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias in the U.S. In Connecticut alone, there are more than 77,000 people living with the disease and 178,000 caregivers.

Register today. Sign up as a Team Captain, join a team or register to walk as an individual at alz.org/walk. Contact Enfield Walk Manager Bob Mayer at rmayer@alz.org.

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.

Alzheimer's Association®
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.