Chippewa Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s seeks participants

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) -According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and they are working to combat these statistics with help from people in the Chippewa Valley.

On Saturday, Sep. 23 the annual Chippewa Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be hosted at The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s lower campus to raise funds and increase support in battling the disease. The event kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with kids’ activities and a photo booth, followed by an opening ceremony at 9:40 a.m., and then the walk begins at 10 a.m. A member of the walk committee and employee at Azura Assisted Living and Memory Care, Patti Holden-O’Brien, said people will be offered pin-wheel flowers to show why they are out supporting the Alzheimer’s Association.

“There’ll be a tent where they can pick one up,” Holden-O’brien said. “Every flower has an individual meaning. The flower I am holding right now (a blue flower) means they have Alzheimer’s or some sort of dementia.”

Holden-O’Brien said there will also be a purple flower for someone who lost a loved one to Alzheimer’s, a yellow flower for a person supporting a person with the disease, and an orange flower for advocacy. The flowers are free for participants.

Holden-O’Brien said the walk is for everyone and she encourages people to bring their loved ones in assisted living or memory care as well.

For more event details, to register for the walk, or to donate click here.

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