“Those with an orange flower who support the vision of a world without Alzheimer’s please raise it.”
The crowd erupted with applause.
“Those with a yellow flower who are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s please raise it.”
An ovation followed.
“Those with a purple flower, please raise it high.”
This time it was different. Instead of cheers, the only thing that could be heard was the breeze flowing gently through the trees. In this moment everyone was connected spiritually. This feeling sent shivers down spines and gave people goosebumps.
The purple flower shows support for the loss of someone suffering from Alzheimer’s. A form of dementia that negatively affects memory, thinking, and behaviors.
“I lost my grandma, and my uncle is currently diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s,” participant Laura Schneider said.
To her, the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s event means the world. This year she sported her purple flower with pride as she helped to raise money for Alzheimer’s awareness.
The volunteers at this event were immensely impacted by Alzheimer’s throughout their lives.
“I work for a senior living community and help families make that next step into moving their loved ones into memory care, and it is usually heartbreaking,” volunteer Amanda Fischer said. “This is a cause near and dear to my heart, so volunteering to help raise money for awareness is the least I could do.”
Without these efforts from volunteers, the 2024 Walk to End Alzheimer’s would not be possible.
Support from around 100 volunteers allowed the organization to raise around $192 thousand to fund research to find a cure for this detrimental disease.
This year there were roughly 800 participants.
“It is the most rewarding to see all of the people in the crowd,” guest speaker Cheryl Kranz said. “The passion and love in the air is one of a kind.”
The end goal is to keep raising awareness and growing participation in this event until a cure is found. There is no doubt that Alzheimer’s is impactful to everyone and those affected dream of a cure. This is embodied by the white flower.
This flower represents the idea of a future without Alzheimer’s disease. One day there will be survivors walking with the bright white flower showing hope for all.
