Saturday is a key day for the public to help fight Alzheimer's Disease.
Friday is also a time to rally for the event. The 2018 Walk To End Alzheimer's is this weekend.
Local Alzheimer's Association spokesperson Julie St. Pierre tells us what's happening..
"...We have our Friday night fundraiser at CT's Deli from 5 to 8 p.m. We consider that our 'pre-walk' party, because on Saturday we have the Walk To End Alzheimer's. So the Friday night party is a fun opportunity for people to get together in a social setting. Proceeds from the event also benefit the Walk To End Alzheimer's which happens on Saturday at Rhinelander High School..."
Registration is set for 8 a.m. Saturday at the high school with a ceremony at 9:00 a.m. and the walk beginning at 9:30 a.m. The route has a one mile or a three mile walk. St. Pierre says the events are a main portion of the funds to help support families in this region....
"..Some of the more visible things the public would see are the classes the Alzheimer's Association holds. We hold classes for general community awareness, teaching people about the warning signs, what to look for, but we also hold specific classes for family caregivers to help them understand the disease process and how to better care for their loved ones...."
As the population ages, the disease is affecting more people..
"...There are more than 5 million people living with Alzheimer's in the United States, including 110,000 in Wisconsin alone. When you think about the number of people with the disease and the number of family members now caring for those individuals, you can see how the disease has that ripple effect...."
At the Saturday walk there will be raffle prizes, including a $1,000 cash. St. Pierre says the easiest way is to register online at alz.org where you can also get more information.
