Walk to End Alzheimer's in Mason City raises more than $58,000

A parade of people of all ages, many wearing purple T-shirts, walked past the ponds at North Iowa Area Community College Sunday during the Walk to End Alzheimer's. The annual event helps support the Alzheimer’s Association’s critical research, care and support across Iowa. Connie Wentworth from the local Walk to End Alzheimer's Committee said 150 people pre-registered to walk, but many more registered on Sunday.

$58,000 was raised pre-walk, and a lot more donated on the day of the walk. "We've got a very aggressive goal this year of $80,000. We are hoping to reach that," Wentworth said.



The Walk to End Alzheimer's fundraiser lasts through the end of the year, so it's not too late to donate, according to Wentworth. Wentworth and her husband, Michael, have served on the Walk to End Alzheimer's Committee for five years in honor of Michael's mother, Beverly, who had the disease and died in 2017. Several other family members also had Alzheimer's.

The disease is so widespread that "I think everyone's got some kind of connection to it," Beverly said. The Wentworths enjoy the Walk to End Alzheimer's because "we see a lot of friends and family out here, people that we've never met before, all showing up for one common cause," Beverly said. Participants were given plastic pinwheel flowers in various colors before the Promise Garden ceremony that preceded the walk.

Orange flowers were for anyone at the end to support the cause of ending Alzheimer's. Anyone caring for someone with Alzheimer's or any other dementia was given a yellow flower. Committee members presented purple flowers to those who lost a loved on to the disease.

Blue flowers were reserved for those with Alzheimer's. During the Promise Garden ceremony, people were asked to raise their flower to indicate why they are at the event. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association has mobilized millions of Americans to participate in local walks to raise funds raise awareness and funds.

Those who have not donated to the cause yet but would still like to do so are encouraged to visit . Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

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