December 27, 2014
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Pledge forms are now available for the Alzheimer Society of Grey-Bruce Walk for Memories to be held Jan. 31, 2015, at Huron Heights Public School, Kincardine.
This will be the last winter Walk for Memories. In the spring of 2016, the local agency will be joining Alzheimer Societies across Canada in the new national Walk for Alzheimer’s.
“Walk for Memories is one of our most important annual awareness and fund-raising events,” says Deborah Barker, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Grey-Bruce.
“We are excited about, and look forward to becoming part of, the new National Walk for Alzheimer’s. This will be a huge step forward for our fund-raising to help meet the growing need for our information, education, support and counselling services.
“As always, money raised in Grey-Bruce will be used to support affected individuals, their families and their caregivers, right here in our community.
“Pledge forms are now available and we encourage everyone to join us Jan. 31, and make our last wintertime Walk for Memories our most successful ever.
You can obtain a pledge form by contacting the Society office at 519-376-7230 or 1-800-265-9013.
You can also obtain a pledge form from the website at www.alzheimer.ca/greybruce or by registering on-line at www.walkformemories.ca and downloading a pledge form.
“We encourage everyone to register and collect pledges on-line,” says Barker. "Walkers who support the Alzheimer Society of Grey-Bruce find registering on-line helps them connect with friends and family who want to support our chapter.”
Besides Kincardine, there are Walk for Memories events being held at West Hill Secondary School in Owen Sound, Hanover Heights Community School in Hanover, and Beaver Valley Community School in Thornbury
The Walk for Memories is an indoor, family events designed for participants of all ages, slated for Jan. 31. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and the the walk officially begins at 10 a.m.; activities wrap up around noon.
Alzheimer Disease and other forms of dementia will have an increasing impact on the Canadian health care system and on Canadian society in general, says Barker.
"With the announcement this fall that the provinces and territories and the federal government will be forming dementia strategies, we know that there will be an increasing need for our services," she says. "Right now, one person in Canada is diagnosed with some form of dementia every five minutes. In a generation, the rate will be one person every two minutes.”
Research shows that early involvement with the Alzheimer Society can improve the quality of life for individuals with dementia, and for their families and caregivers throughout the course of the disease.
“The Walk for Memories events increase awareness and help us reach out to those who have not yet used our services,” Barker says.
Financially, the walks are also very important. Funding from government and other outside sources does not keep pace with the growing need for service.
“More than 40 per cent of our operating budget comes through the generosity of the Grey-Bruce community,” says Barker.
Bill Twaddle, community development cp-ordinator for the Alzheimer Society of Grey-Bruce, says everyone who has ever collected pledges and taken part in a past Walk for Memories is encouraged to participate again this year.
“And we encourage everyone to bring at least one friend,” he adds.
Written ByLiz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
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