The Alzheimer’s Association returns to the North Fork Saturday Sept. 28 for the second annual “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” at Peconic Landing.
On site registration starts at 9 a.m with the opening ceremony starting at 9:30. The two-mile trek kicks off at 10.
Last year’s inaugural event raised $25,000, but already this year organizers have collected $58,288 from the event, exceeding their $55,000 goal. All the funds raised through Walk to End Alzheimer’s go towards care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Jennifer Drofenik, the North Fork Walk Executive Event Chair, said she’s excited to build on last year’s “tremendous success.”
“We are motivated to grow this event to further the reach of the Alzheimer’s Association on the East End of Long Island,” she said in a press release. “We hope everyone in our community can join us by starting a team to help raise awareness and funds for families facing this disease.”
Alzheimer’s — which is considered the most common cause of dementia — causes the brain shrinkage and eventually destroys brain cells, according to the Mayo Clinic. The effects of the disease manifest in various ways which impair a sufferer’s ability to function through a gradual decline in memory, cognition, behavior and social skills.
Nearly 7 million Americans are coping with Alzheimer’s, including more than 426,000 New York State residents.
On Walk Day, participants honor those affected with a Promise Garden ceremony, during which participants carry flowers of various colors representing their personal connection to the disease.
Walkers will plant purple flowers if they’ve lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s, blue if they are personally living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, yellow if they are a caregiver for someone with the illness or orange if they are a supporter without any direct connection to Alzheimer’s.
The Alzheimer’s Association launched the annual “Walk to End Alzheimer’s was inaugurated in 1989 and has since become one of the largest fundraising events across the globe.
To register for Saturday’s event or make a donation to Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit peconiclanding.org/events.