Community Corner
Walk to End Alzheimer's® Howard County Walk is September 24
Annual fundraiser that supports families impacted by Alzheimer's and dementia returns to Centennial Park in Ellicott City.
Centennial Park in Ellicott City is the site for the Alzheimer's Association's Walk to End Alzheimer's Howard County Walk on Saturday, September 24, 2022. Registration is 9 a.m. followed by the Walk at 10 a.m. Participants of all ages join as individuals or form teams to raise funds in the fight to end Alzheimer's disease and other dementia. The Howard County Walk goal is to raise $195,000. National Presenting Sponsors are Edward Jones and CVS Health. To register, visit https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Wa...
Emerge Deputy Director Brent Jones returns for the fourth consecutive year as Walk chair. Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. There are more than 600 U.S. residents living with Alzheimer's and another dementia and more than 110,000 of those people reside in Maryland. Alzheimer's is the nation's sixth leading cause of death, killing more people annually than breast cancer and prostate cancer COMBINED.
"Being able to acknowledge participants in person for their commitment over the last two years of the pandemic is gratifying," says Katie Bittinger, constituent events manager. "Many of the people who will gather have a personal connection to someone living with a diagnosis and this gathering is a reminder that they have support from their neighbors."
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These flowers have a lot of power
A Promise Garden Ceremony is held before the Walk begins to illustrate how the disease impacts people living with the disease and their loved ones. Participants hold large colored pinwheel flowers and are asked to raise them to show how the disease has touched their lives: blue for people living with a diagnosis; yellow for caregivers and care partners; orange for supporters; and purple for people who have lost someone to the disease. A white flower is raised by a child to symbolize the hope of ending Alzheimer's.
"We are registering people on Walk day, so people should come at 9 a.m. to register and stay for the 10 a.m. Walk," says Bittinger. "This event is a great way to support your neighbors who are impacted by a diagnosis with every effort appreciated."
