Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be in-person this fall
–The Alzheimer’s Association is moving forward with plans to host the 2021 San Luis Obispo Walk to End Alzheimer’s in person on Saturday, Oct. 30, at the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa.
According to the association, the health and safety of all participants remains the top priority as decisions are being made in all walk markets regarding event details.
“It has been a time of isolation for many of our families, and I know this year’s Walk will truly be a celebration of being able to gather again for a cause we all believe in: a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia,” said Sonya Branco, director of development for the Alzheimer’s Association California Central Coast Chapter.
In addition to planning the in-person event, the Alzheimer’s Association will continue to offer options to participate in Walk to End Alzheimer’s online.
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s was recently ranked as the second-largest fundraising event in the country by total revenue, as announced by the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum in their top 30 rankings of 2020.
Despite the changes to this event due to the pandemic, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s raised more than $67 million last year in more than 600 participating communities across the country. The San Luis Obispo Walk raised $96,604 of that total. The money raised by the walk funds Alzheimer’s care, support, and research programs.
The 2021 San Luis Obispo Walk planning committee is led by Chair Val Ferrero, who also serves as a support group facilitator for local caregivers and is currently training to become a community educator.
“When my husband and I needed help after he was diagnosed with Early-Onset Alzheimer’s, the Alzheimer’s Association was an incredible resource for us both,” Ferrero said. “As Walk Chair, I’m looking forward to meeting more of the Alzheimer’s community in our county and helping them connect with the available resources.”
Ferrero has also developed “Quilted Memories,” a quilt showcasing community members who have passed away with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Squares are purchased to embroider the names and dates of death of loved ones as a way to commemorate their lives, with all proceeds going directly to the San Luis Obispo Walk. The quilt will be on display throughout the event.
The planning committee is still seeking compassionate and caring volunteers to play a leadership role in this year’s San Luis Obispo Walk to End Alzheimer’s. To join the committee or to be part of this event, visit act.alz.org/slo.
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