Anderson Walk to End Alzheimer’s Aims for $80,000 Fundraising Goal

The Alzheimer's Association's annual Walk to End Alzheimer's is set to take place on September 13 in Anderson, South Carolina.

This event is dedicated to raising awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support, and research.

Local sponsors include Guffee Dental, SC HomeCare Solutions, and Mayor Terence Roberts' State Farm Agency.

Participants can check in starting at 9 a.m., with the opening ceremony scheduled for 9:45 a.m.

Last year's walk saw over 300 participants and raised $69,820, despite inclement weather.

Organizers are optimistic about this year's turnout, aiming for close to 400 participants, especially if the cool fall weather holds.

To date, the event has raised $57,000 toward its $80,000 goal.

Registration is free, and participants are encouraged to sign up in advance to avoid long lines on the day of the event.

Onsite registration will be available, but online registration is recommended to save time.

Additional Walk to End Alzheimer's events in the Upstate include:

Greenville: October 4 at Fluor Field, located at 945 S. Main St., with $305,892 already raised toward a $525,000 goal.

Spartanburg: October 25 at Barnet Park, located at 248 E. St John St., with $54,620 raised toward a $110,000 goal.

To register for any Walk location, visit the Alzheimer's Association's website or call 800-272-3900, where volunteers are ready to assist with any inquiries.

Ashton Houghton, executive director of the Alzheimer's Association, South Carolina Chapter, expressed excitement about the upcoming walk, stating, "This is a pivotal moment in the fight against Alzheimer's. There are now treatments that can slow the course of the disease."

On Walk Day, participants will honor those affected by Alzheimer's with a poignant Promise Garden ceremony.

During the ceremony and the walk itself, participants will carry brightly-colored flowers, each color representing their personal connection to the disease.

The casual two-mile walk that follows is open to all ages and abilities.

All funds raised by the Walk to End Alzheimer's benefit the Alzheimer's Association by maximizing care and support for families facing dementia.

They also advance cutting-edge research to better understand and treat the disease.

Additionally, the funds help ensure access to treatments for everyone who could benefit from them.

More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease—a leading cause of death in the United States.

Additionally, nearly 12 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer's and other dementias.

In South Carolina alone, more than 112,500 people are living with the disease, and 224,000 have caregivers.

The Alzheimer's Association is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer's disease care, support, and research.

Their mission is to end Alzheimer's and all forms of dementia by accelerating global research, promoting early detection and risk reduction, and maximizing quality care.

The Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event raising funds for Alzheimer's disease care, support, and research.

The Alzheimer's Association has mobilized millions of Americans in its Memory Walk since 1989.

The annual event takes place in more than 600 communities and features over 300,000 participants across the country.