Community comes together for Alzheimer Walk

Tillsonburg Kinettes had a large team in the Tillsonburg Walk for Alzheimer’s Saturday at Memorial Park. (Chris Abbott Photo)

Chris Abbott, Grant Haven Media

Christine Poier, Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners, Director of Operations, could hardly contain her excitement when she learned how much money was raised at Saturday’s Walk for Alzheimer’s in Tillsonburg.

“$15,000,” said Poier. “That’s amazing!”

The IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s in Tillsonburg, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in January 2020 at the Tillsonburg Community Centre, is now held in May at Memorial Park, after a brief run at the Annanadale Public School track.

“We’ve been doing this annually for many, many years,” Poier nodded, pleased with Saturday’s turnout.

“We have about 70 people here today, which is very exciting,” said Maggie Scanlon, Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners, Director of Programs and Services.

“The thing that I love about this event is that… we have the moments where we are all gathered together to remember our loved one, or the person living with dementia… but it’s a community event. It’s the community coming together,” said Scanlon, who was a care partner for her grandmother who was living with dementia. “You are then surrounded by all the people who are in the same situation, or someone who is living with dementia, and you can feel that community support, to know that you are not alone. This is really about a community coming together and I think that is so beautiful.”

How much you raise for the Walk for Alzheimer’s does not matter, said Scanlon. There is not minimum fundraising amount. People joined as individuals, partners, teams, including service clubs like the Tillsonburg Lions and Tillsonburg Kinettes. VON did the walk warmup for participants.

“Again, it’s the community partnership,” said Scanlon. “It’s the community coming together, which is amazing.”

The annual walk is important to foster community and raise funds for programs within the community, said Alzheimer Society volunteer Theresa MacDougall, also a member of the Tillsonburg Kinettes.

“I started doing this walk with my daughter when it was at the community centre, to support my mom,” said MacDougall. “When the kids got older, I wanted to give back to that, that’s why I do this, in support.

“The Kinettes are great supporters of the walk… we’ve got a big team. The Kinettes are big in the community.”

Alzheimer Society Southwest Partners organized four walks on the weekend – Tillsonburg, Woodstock, and London on Saturday, and St. Thomas on Sunday.