©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Memory Walk Raises Awareness, Funds, And Hope |
Awareness, programming individuals that they are not alone in the fight, and to raise money for both research and education were the reasons many gathered to walk for their loved ones.
The annual Memory Walk to end Alzheimer's Disease was held Saturday at Optimist Park at the Hawthorne Center in Galesburg.
Teams of friends and families as well as individuals took part in the walk to fight a disease that someone is diagnosed with every 70 seconds in America.
Outreach Specialist for the Central Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association Missy Kolowski, says the money raised will go to find a cause and some kind of medication that could end the disease.
Kowolski tells WGIL she has a certain level of kindness for those who face this or any other kind of dementia disorder.
"That's where my passion is at - letting people know that there is hope, there are others going through the same thing and with the baby boomers coming up, which I am a part of, it's going to get worse. We want to get the information out there and get the awareness and hopefully get some research that's going to help us get rid of this horrible disease."
One of the participants in the walk was Becky Wiffles from Abingdon, who was there with her sisters, walking for their mother who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's nearly 11 years ago and still continues the fight today.
She says events like the Memory Walk gives her family hope. She says the more money that's raised, the more work could be done and eventually something good will come out of it.
An organizer of the event says she expects the group of walkers to raise close to the over $31,000 collected last year.
Preliminary reports from the group shows they raised over $41,000 in this year's Memory Walk.
TOP INDIVIDUAL FUNDRAISERS:
Deb Burkhead - $3,887
Joanne Whitney - $833
Deanne James - $619
TOP TEAM FUNDRAISERS:
Marigold - $9,128
Care Center of Abingdon $6,117
Jeanne Team - $4,382
(One of the teams taking part in the Memory Walk at Hawthorne Center in Galesburg Saturday morning pose for their team picture)
(Members of the Marigold team walking as part of the Memory Walk Saturday Morning ready one of their team members before taking a picture)
(Walkers begin their trek around the Hawthorne Center Saturday Morning as part of the Memory Walk)
(A young child takespart in Saturday's Memory Walk in Galesburg)
(News story and photos by WGIL's Dominic Fortini) |
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| 09 26 09 by Newsroom |
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