LITTLE CURRENT—Everyone is encouraged to get out and walk in support of the Alzheimer’s Society this Sunday, June 5 in Little Current for the annual Walk for Alzheimer’s event—the biggest annual fundraising event for the Society.
Registration for the walk begins at 11:30 am until 1 pm at the Rendezvous Pavilion (located beside Kool-It Ice) along Little Current’s boardwalk. There will also be a fundraiser barbecue, facepainting and family entertainment.
From 1 to 1:30 pm the opening speeches will get underway followed by a Zumba warmup. The walk will take place from between 1:30 to 2:30 pm.
“We will be walking the boardwalk and looping the downtown core,” said Alison Sloss, health promoter with the Alzheimer Society, Sudbury-Manitoulin North Bay Districts.
Pledges must be collected before the walk, with pledge forms found at Ms. Sloss’ downtown Little Current office (in the former BioPed office near The Needle Box) or online at www.walkforalzheimers.ca.
“If you raise $25, you get a t-shirt,” Ms. Sloss noted. “Last year we raised $6,000.”
The goal this year, of course, is to top last year’s phenomenal efforts.
Ms. Sloss explained that the event will now be hosted between Little Current and Espanola each year, with next year being Espanola’s turn.
“All funds raised stay in the Manitoulin office catchment area and go towards supporting crucial programs and services for people living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias and their care partners,” Ms. Sloss said. “Some of the programs and services this walk would fund include: support groups, art therapy, our Music Heals iPod program, Learning Series education for Care Partners, along with family counselling and care partner respite. Roughly 70 percent of our programs on Manitoulin are being supported on fundraised dollars. And, on average, three out of four Canadians know someone living with dementia. The Walk for Alzheimer’s not only helps to raise funds for programs and services, it also helps to raise awareness and reduce the stigma.”
