Processions - Alzheimers Association

Home Browse Search

Sep. 16, 2016 2:51PM wwwalzorgrindiana Greater Indiana Chapter 800-272.3900 50East 9lstStreet, Suite too Indianapolis, IN 46240 317 575 9620 p 317 582 0669 f To: Board of Park Commissioners Fort Wayne Office 6324 Constitution Drive Fort Wayne, IN 46804 260 420 5547 p 260 420 3517 f No, 0186 P, 8 alzheimeT's % association° From: Abby Geha, Development Specialist, Alzheimer's Association RE: Potawatomi Park as the site for The Walk to End Alzheimer's on Sunday, September 251h12015 Thank you very much for considering our request to use Potawatomi Park as the location for our 2016 Walk to End Alzheimer's. The Alzheimer's Association's mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research, to provide and enhance care and support for all affected, and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. The Walk to End Alzheimer's is the world's largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research. In 2015, the Greater Indiana Chapter hosted more than 10,000 participants and raised more than $1.6 million statewide. There are 12 walks in the state of Indiana. We have held our walk at Potawatomi Park for the past 2 years. As I am new to this position, I can only tell you that our volunteers love it there. We use Shelter 2 & 3 to set up our registration tables, and our sponsor tables (mostly health care facilities that pass out information). We then hold a short ceremony where we have a speaker who has experienced the disease through a loved one, we recognize top fundraising groups, and we recognize those walking through our memory garden. Each participant is given a flower that represents their connection to the disease --they have lost someone, have been diagnosed, are a caregiver or support the cause and vision of a world without Alzheimers. The memory garden portion of the program calls for participants to come together and make a commitment to fulfill their promise to remember, to honor, to care and to fight Alzheimer's disease. Through colored flowers, the Promise Garden ceremony represents the diverse reasons participants have gathered to participate. We then walk to raise awareness. At this point, there are no survivors of Alzheimer's disease. There are currently 5.5 million people living with a diagnosis and it is the only one of the top ten causes of death (ranked at #6) that has no treatments or cure. Thanks so much for the consideration of the use of your beautiful park.