Fayetteville's Annual Walk to End Alzheimer's will be held on Oct. 25 at Segra Stadium. The walk is held annually in over 600 communities across the United States. It supports the Alzheimer's Association financially while also driving awareness and connecting community members to various resources. While the very first walk began in 1989, this will be Fayetteville's 11th annual walk.
"The walks are a fuel for our mission from a financial standpoint," explained Christine John-Fuller, executive director, Alzheimer's Association, Eastern North Carolina Chapter. "They are the largest awareness event that we have … that means that people can connect with us sometimes for the first time."
Organizers expect a high turnout for the event.
"We are always well north of 1,000 people, sometimes scratching on the door of 2,000, so our goal for this year is $200,000, and to know that we have grown exponentially with our walk in Fayetteville because of the incredible generosity of this community," John-Fuller said.
The event has nearly doubled its fundraising expectations for the Fayetteville area in recent years.
"It really speaks to not only the generosity of the people in the area that drives that, but also the deep connections that individuals in Cumberland County and the surrounding areas have for dementia, whether that be in their family unit or people that they know as well," John-Fuller said.
One of the event's centerpieces is the organization's pinwheel flowers. Upon arrival, participants will be encouraged to select a flower color that is coded to their personal connection to the cause. Purple flowers will be available for individuals who have lost someone to the disease, blue for individuals living with the disease, yellow for caretakers and orange for supporters of the organization and its mission.
The disease has impacted many involved in the planning and production of the event, including the event sponsor, McKee Homes.
"They have a very close local personal connection to the disease, so all of their associates get involved with what we are doing," John-Fuller said.
Registration for the walk is free, and participants are encouraged to use the walk as a vehicle to help fundraise for the Alzheimer's Association. Participants can do this on their own, create a team, or even join an existing team. Those interested can sign up and receive support on how to fundraise on the organization's website https://act.alz.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=walk_homepage, or they can sign up on the day of the event.
"It's never too late to get involved when it comes to this event. We want to bring people into the fold, no matter when that is, so even if they are just walking up for the first time on walk day and registering," John-Fuller said.
The fundraising for this event will extend well past Oct. 25. Teams and participants can fundraise beyond the walk.
"They will have until Dec. 31 to keep fundraising and earn some of the incentives that the other walkers have and be part of that mission, so it is never too late to say, ‘you know what, I am going to gather some friends and family and make a team,’" John-Fuller said.
Incentives for fundraising include a Walk to End Alzheimer's T-shirt for those who secure $100 in donations, up to a Yeti backpack or a PI Woodburning stove for those who raise $10,000, with many other prizes available for raising funds at intermediate amounts.
The organization also welcomes event volunteers for those who would like to donate their time, either through committee work or by assisting on the day of the event. Additional information on how to contribute can be found on the event website. Additionally, organizers want the community to know that all are welcome at this event and that it is accessible to all abilities. If people are unable to complete the physical walk, they can still participate by cheering on walkers along the way and at the finish line. Everyone in attendance has an impact.
"This is an experience for all ability levels, so if individuals want to come out, but they are not sure [they] can physically make the walk, we have a lot of individuals that will come and celebrate with us," John-Fuller explained. "They are a part of the powerful morning that it is, and they will stay at the finish line and cheer people on when they get back."
Multiple resources will be available for those in attendance, including local services to support families on a dementia journey. At the Alzheimer's Association table, visitors will find information about the disease and how to engage with the Association. They will also have details on connecting individuals to any resources they may need.
"We want to make sure that we meet the families where they are in the journey and help them through any of the questions they may have," John-Fuller explained.
Regardless of one's connection to the disease, John-Fuller asserts that there is no time like the present to learn, get involved, and find the necessary support. She advocates heavily for the importance of early detection so that people can take advantage of the many treatment advances and breakthroughs in ways to support individuals experiencing dementia. In this respect, she feels there is a lot the organization has to offer the community.
"Our mantra this season has really been, 'now is the time,' and now is the time because we finally, for the first time, have treatments that lower the progression of the disease, and that can only happen for people if they learn and get diagnosed," John-Fuller said.
This is an event focused on resources and hope.
"There's so much hope in the ways that we can now support families that we've never been able to do before," John-Fuller said. "We're really encouraging everybody to be a part of all that is going on now."
To be a part of all that is going on, individuals are encouraged to sign up on the website or on the day of the event at the registration table. Registration on the day of the event begins at 9 a.m., and the opening ceremony and walk will commence at 10 a.m. The event will be held at Segra Stadium in Downtown Fayetteville at 460 Hay Street. For additional details, interested parties can contact Victoria Huggins at 919-241-5938, or by email at vahuggins@alz.org. 

(Photos courtesy of Kara Harrington, Alzheimer's Association-North Carolina)