‘A Walk to Remember’ allows families to honor loved ones

The Alzheimer’s A Walk to Remember is the perfect way to honor and/or remember loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease. It is also a way for people who know families facing this devastating brain disease to honor their friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

Kay Jones, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Resource Center, a local, independent nonprofit agency serving southeast Alabama and the panhandle of Florida, often refers to the agency’s signature event as a “community-wide support group.”

This year, four grandsons are honoring and remembering their grandfather, J. C. Elmore. Michael, Branden, Philip, and Daniel Axtell are the co-chairs for the 27th annual A Walk to Remember, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 5, at Westgate Park.

The walk raises awareness of the devastation of Alzheimer’s disease and provides financial support for educational and support services for families, caregivers and individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. All funds raised stay local.

The Oct. 5 walk is open to everyone, and teams are especially encouraged to participate. Teams may be made up of two or more co-workers, club members, relatives and family members, friends or neighbors.

You can donate online through PayPal or pre-register for the walk online at the website: weshare thecare.org. You can also pre-register by calling (334) 702-2273 or going by the ARC office located at 1314 Westgate Parkway-Suite 2. Registration will also be available the morning of the walk.

The registration fee is $15 without a souvenir shirt and $25 with a souvenir shirt. There is no registration fee for children 4 years and younger.

Walkers are encouraged to collect additional pledges to help the Alzheimer’s Resource Center reach its goal of $100,000. Teams are invited to design special shirts or carry banners or signs to identify their group.

On the day of the walk, registration and team photos will begin at 7:30 a.m., opening ceremonies will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the walk will begin at approximately 8:45 a.m. There will be one-mile, three-mile, and five-mile walks to enable people of all ages to participate.

For more information, contact Jones at (334) 702-2273 or visit www.wesharethecare.org. The Alzheimer’s Resource is also on facebook.