High school sophomores step up to lead Alzheimer's walk team

Emily Stangel and Remi Matza, both sophomores at Byram Hills High School in Armonk, recently became team captains for Team GAGA in the Westchester Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

This will be their first year as team captains after former captain Hallie Remnitz stepped down after holding the position for two years.

It will be Matza’s first time participating in the walk. Stangel has previously participated in the walk with Team GAGA.

Team GAGA is the official team for Byram Hills High School. The name is an acronym that stands for “Growth and Awareness Group for Alzheimer’s.” Traditionally, the team has been among the top fundraising teams for the Westchester walk. The team was created by former Byram Hills High School student Max Levy in 2011 after the passing of his grandmother.

Stangel has a personal connection to the Alzheimer’s disease through her grandfather, who is now in the late stages of the disease.

Stangel and Matza recently created a Team GAGA Instagram page @bhhs.gaga2020 to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and their team fundraising efforts. On the page, they have created the #Making_Memz_Challenge, where they encourage others to make funny videos that will create a lasting memory and to challenge their friends to do the same. They started the hashtag chain with a video of themselves throwing pies at each other.

“The idea behind the hashtag is to make memories for those that no longer have the ability to do so. We hope to create a chain with this hashtag and get users to donate just a small amount,” said Matza. They hope to get other students from Byram Hills High School to join Team GAGA.

This year’s Westchester Walk to End Alzheimer’s, to be held Sunday, Oct. 4, will be different than previous years. While the event normally draws large crowds to SUNY Purchase, steps are being taken to protect the health and safety of participants and volunteers. There will be no large gatherings involved. Instead, participants will be walking at various locations in their communities with their teams or family members. To register, visit WestchesterWalk.org

Stangel and Matza said they are excited to participate in the walk.

“We are happy it can still occur despite the pandemic,” said Stangel.

To join Team Gaga or make a donation, www.TeamGaga.com. To register for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit HudsonValleyWalks.org

About the Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, 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.

About the Hudson Valley Chapter

The Hudson Valley Chapter serves families living with dementia in seven counties in New York, including Duchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester. To learn more about the programs and services offered locally, visit alz.org/hudsonvalley.

About the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Its vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all dementia. Visit alz.org.