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The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting area residents to join the fight for a different future by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s Albert Lea/Austin on Sept. 16, at Frank Hall Park located at 712 Frank Avenue in Albert Lea.

This inspirational event is one of more than 600 in the country taking place this fall to help the Association fund its local no-cost support groups and educational programs, research efforts around the globe and advocacy efforts on behalf of families impacted by dementia and Alzheimer’s. 

In this new era with Alzheimer’s treatments advancing, walkers are fighting for a different future for families facing Alzheimer’s and other dementia. They walk in honor of loved ones impacted by the disease and future generations. The walk begins with a poignant Promise Garden ceremony where walkers hold a colored flower representing their personal connection to the cause. They may have lost someone (purple), be fighting the disease (blue), a caregiver (yellow), or a supporter of the cause (orange).

Check-in is at 9 a.m. and the opening ceremony is at 10 a.m. with the walk to follow. Participants are encouraged to register early and fundraise to help the Alzheimer’s Association reach its $45,000 goal. Registration is free.

Naomi Sternberg is walking to support her father who has dementia.

“We are passionate about joining the walk because our dad, Randy, was diagnosed with Dementia with Lewy bodies in 2020,” she said. “Our grandmother and uncle also have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. We’re fighting for a cure because we have seen how these diagnoses can affect those we love, and how the uphill battle looks as a caretaker.”

Sternberg said that her faith, community support, and the hope of a cure is what drives her family to keep going.

“We also wish to inspire hope in others who are navigating their own journey,” she said.

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Minnesota alone, there are more than 99,000 people living with the disease and they are supported by 163,000 caregivers.

To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit act.alz.org/albertlea.  After registering, each person gets their own fundraising web page that is easy to edit and share.

The Albert Lea/Austin walk volunteer committee includes Wendy Anderson, Catherine Buboltz, Emma Evans-Peck, Cinde Goskeson, Amanda Irvine, Kristine Jorgenson, Emily Toland, Emily Wacholz and Jaclyn Wangen. This event is made possible thanks to many local sponsors, and national Walk to End Alzheimer’s presenting sponsor Edward Jones.